HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/15/1994, 3 - URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN IIIN^ly`II��IIIIIIII
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II III ��,IIIII of SaI1 LalS OBISpO March 15, 1994
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT ITEM NUMBER:
YI
FROM: John Moss, Utilities Director ,/ !%!�
PREPARED BY: Gary Henderson, Water Division Mana er
Sue Baasch, Administrative Analyst-j
Ron Munds, Water Conservation Coordinator'
Glen Matteson, Associate Planner
SUBJECT: Urban Water Management Plan
CAO RECOMMENDATION
1. Adopt a resolution establishing the Urban Water Management Plan, effective April 15,
1994;
2. Introduce an ordinance to print in summary form amending the City's Water Allocation
Regulations to change the required water usage offset for new development from an
amount equal to twice the expected usage of the development to an amount equal to the
expected usage; and
3. Revise the water use offset guidelines accordingly.
DISCUSSION
Adoption of the Urban Water Management Plan (Plan) will consolidate information regarding
City policies and programs as they relate to the City's water resources. The purposes of the
Plan are to:
■ Formulate long-range City water policy;
■ Identify needed improvements both in the water supply and distribution systems;
■ Determine needed water supply and distribution system expansion to reach the General
Plan goals; and
■ Consolidate previous water policy.
The Plan will bring the City into compliance with state law AB 797, the Urban Water
Management Planning Act relating to water conservation.
The Plan is divided into five chapters and has been structured to serve as an easily understood
water policy and resource guide. Following the introduction, the major policies are provided
followed by a description and analysis of the projects, programs and financial considerations
necessary to support the policies and goals of the City's General Plan.
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COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Urban Water Management Plan Page 2
Background�
At the January 11, 1994 City Council meeting, Council and staff reviewed each section of the
Draft Urban Water Management Plan. Based on the direction provided at that meeting, staff
has prepared the final draft of the Plan to be considered for adoption. The key changes to the
original document are as follows:
■ Chapter two will not be part of the General Plan as originally proposed but will replace
the water section of the Water and Wastewater Management Element. This change is
reflected in Section 1.2.
■ A statement regarding the City's groundwater pumping policy has been included in
Section 2.1.3 to formalize the Utilities Department's administrative procedures.
■ Clarification of the Nacimiento Project's subscription request for water allocations has
been included in Section 3.2.
■ A description of groundwater recharge, Section 3.5.4, has been included as an option in
the section listing supplemental water supply project alternatives.
■ A statement regarding the water treatment plant's capacity upon completion of the current
upgrade is included in Section 4.1.1.
■ Clarification of the City's policy regarding water revenue is included in Section 5.1.
■ Appendix III is a listing of water supply projects no longer being pursued. Feasibility
studies and/or reports have been prepared for these projects and are available in the
Utilities Department library at 955 Morro Street.
Other Considerations
■ Included is a resolution (Attachment 1) which will adopt the Plan and repeal the water
section of the Water and Wastewater Management Element.
■ Currently, a new project may be built when there is no safe yield available if the
developer makes changes to existing facilities to reduce long-term water usage by twice
the estimated water usage for the project. Section 2.9.2 (A) of the Plan states that when
no safe yield is available, a the developer must makes changes to existing facilities to
reduce long term water usage equal to the estimated usage of the project. Attachment 2
amends the Water Allocation Regulations to reflect this change.
�mH�►��►i�IIIIIpII� II"III city Of San LUIS OBISPO
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Urban Water Management Plan Page 3
■ The water use offset guidelines (Attachment 3) have been revised to reflect the change
to the Water Allocation Regulations regarding the required offset ratio.
CONCURRENCES
The Community Development and Finance Departments have reviewed and concur with the
information provided in the Urban Water Management Plan. The Environmental Quality Task
Force is reviewing the Urban Water Management Plan. However, no comment or concurrence
was available at the time of this report.
FISCAL UYIPACT
Adoption of the Urban Water Management Plan does not have additional fiscal impact on the
Water Fund at this time. Any policies included in the Plan that are not currently included in the
Water Fund analysis will be brought to Council separately for consideration and approval.
Attachments:
1. Resolution adopting the Urban Water Management Plan
2. Ordinance amending the Water Allocation Regulations
3. Revised water use offset guidelines
4. Urban Water Management Plan
33
ATTACHMENT 1
RESOLUTION NO. (1994 SERIES)
A RESOLUTION OF THE SAN LUIS OBISPO CITY COUNCIL
ADOPTING THE URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
The Council of the City of San Luis Obispo resolves as follows:
1. Record of Proceeding
The City Council has received and considered public testimony and the staff
recommendation. The City Council conducted a public hearing on March 15 concerning this
matter. The minutes of the hearing indicate Council members' votes on particular
components of the plan which may differ from the vote on this Resolution. Records of
these items are on file in the office of the City Clerk.
2. Public and Aged Review
A draft of the plan has been available for review and comment by interested agencies
and individuals.
3. Environmental Determination
An initial environmental study(ER 25-93) has been prepared and made available for
public and agency comment, and the Community Development Director has approved a
negative declaration, pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA') and
the State and City CEQA Guidelines. The initial study concluded that the only potential
adverse impact would be reduced levels of water service, and that impact would not be
significant with the project as proposed. Council hereby approves the negative declaration.
4. Repeal of Previous Element
The water section of the 1987 General Plan Water & Wastewater Management
Element, as amended, is hereby repealed.
5. Adoption of Plan
The Urban Water Management Plan, consisting of a text with tables and figures,
dated [March 1994], on file is the City Clerk's Office, is hereby adopted.
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Resolution No. Page 2
Adopting Urban Water Management Plan
6. Publication and Availability
The Utilities Director shall cause the newly adopted plan to be published and
provided to City officials, concerned agencies, and public libraries, and to be made available
to the public at a cost not to exceed the cost of reproduction.
7. Effective Date
The newly adopted plan shall be effective on the thirtieth day after passage of this
Resolution.
On motion of. seconded by . and on the following roll call
vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
the foregoing resolution was passed and adopted this day of 1994.
Mayor
ATTEST:
City Clerk
APPROVED-
1 it UWMP,RFS
2.5
ATTACHi4M 2
ORDINANCE NO. (1994 SERIES)
AN ORDINANCE OF THE SAN LUIS OBISPO CITY COUNCIL
AMENDING THE WATER ALLOCATION REGULATIONS
TO CHANGE THE REQUIRED OFFSET RATIO
BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the City of San Luis Obispo as
follows:
SECTION 1. Find in
1. The Council has held a public hearing on the proposed amendment in accordance
with the California Government Code.
2. The Council has considered public testimony, and the report and recommendation
of staff.
3. The amendment is consistent with the Urban Water Management Plan.
4. The Council has reviewed and approved the initial environmental study (ER 25-
93) and the negative declaration of environmental impact.
SECTION 2. Amendment. Municipal Code Chapter 17, Water Allocation
Regulations, is hereby amended as shown fully in the attached Exhibit A.
SECTION 3. Publication and Effective Date. A summary of this ordinance,
approved by the City Attorney, together with the votes for and against, shall be published
once, at least five days prior to its final passage, in the Telegram-Tribune, a newspaper
published and circulated in this City. This ordinance shall go into effect at the expiration
of 30 days after its final passage.
INTRODUCED AND PASSED TO PRINT by the Council of the City of
San Luis Obispo at its meeting held on the day of 1994, on motion
of seconded by and on the following roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
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Ordinance No:. (1994 Series) f'
Water Allocation Regulations
Page 2
Mayor
ATTEST:
City C1erk - - —- -
APPROVED:
otto -ey
WAR.oRD
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Exhibit A
17.89.030 Requirement for water allocations.
A. A water allocation shall be required for all actions within the city which would
increase water use, except as provided in part B of this section or elsewhere in this
chapter. A water allocation shall be required to: obtain a connection to the city
water system for a structure or facility not previously connected; change the use of
land or buildings, whether or not a construction permit is also required; obtain a
construction permit.
B. A water allocation shall not be required for the following:
(1) Building or enlarging a garage, storage shed, or other accessory structure
which would not increase water use, as determined by the Community
Development Director;
(2) Modifying or enlarging any building, provided that the modification or
enlargement does not:
(a) Create a greater number of dwellings;
(b) Increase the occupant capacity of any group-quarters or congregate
residential facility;
(c) Create additional hotel or motel units;
(d) Increase the floor area of a nonresidential building by fifty percent
(50%) or one-thousand (1,000) square feet, whichever is greater.
(3) Building a new structure or facility which replaces a structure or facility
having substantially the same type of use and size, or equal or less water use,
as determined by the Community Development Director.
(4) Building a new structure or facility which is provided with its own water
supply which is approved by the city.
(5) Building a new structure or facility which (a) through retrofit of permanent
water-saving devices reduces use of city water in existing structures or facilities
by an amount equal to at least Vvi ee the estimated water use of the proposed
development, as determined by the Community Development Director, or(b)
funds the capital and any excess operating costs to provide permanent sources
of non-potable water to replace city water sources in existing facilities.
(6) Carrying out a government development (though the expected use of city
water by government developments shall be included at the time of
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construction when determining the cumulative total of assigned,nonresidential
water allocations).
C. These regulations shall remain in effect only so long as city water use exceeds the
city's safe annual yield.
D. Despite any other provision of these regulations, a project for which a complete
construction-permit application was received by the city before September 1, 1988,
shall be allowed to proceed whether or not an allocation under this chapter is
provided.
wait-ORDMIA
3g
ATTACRKENT 3
CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
Community Development Department
WATER USE OFFSETS
("Retrofit Program")
November 1993
Purpose
Water use offsets are intended to allow development which will not increase City water
use and to encourage water savings which otherwise would not occur. They are a way to
comply with the City's Water Allocation Regulations (Municipal Code Chapter 17.89),
which aim for a balance between normal levels of water demand and the amount of
supply the City can count on during droughts.
Overview & Relationship to Other Programs
The Water Allocation Regulations allow you to build a project even when no water
allocations are available, if you make changes in existing development that will
permanently reduce water use equal to t%iee the water allocation you would need. For
example, if you want to build a single-family residence on a standard size lot, you need
an allocation of 0.37 acre-feet (AF) annual water use. To build the residence without a
City water allocation, you would have to install permanent water-saving features that
would reduce water use in existing development by 2--X-0.37 = 0.74 AF. Replacing or
modifying plumbing fixtures so they will use less water is called "retrofitting."
The City gives rebates to water customers who perform certain retrofits. However,
retrofits receiving rebates are not eligible for offset credits toward new development.
Certain retrofits are required when property is sold. Those retrofits can be counted as
offsets toward new development, or they may be eligible for rebates (but not both).
Procedures
A retrofit proposal must be for a particular type of project and a spec site. Once the
offset credit has been earned, changing the ownership of the site or the details of the
project will not affect the offset credit that has been earned. Once the offset credit is
earned for a specific site, it can be transferred to another site only if both sites are
owned by the same party at the time of the transfer and the credit will be applied to a
similar project.
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Calculations
The first step is determining the required water allocation for your project. The City has
prepared a schedule of "Water Use Factors," based on metered water use of samples of
various kinds of development, generally over the period 1981 through 1985. These
factors are intended to reflect average water use over the life of a project. All quantities
are expressed in acre-feet annual water use, usually rounded to the nearest one-
hundredth (0.01) acre-foot (AF).
The water use factors give the quantity of acre-feet for each dwelling, or for each 1,000
square feet of gross building area for most nonresidential projects. For a few types of
development, water use correlates more closely with site area, so the factors relate to
acreage. Staff will determine the most appropriate factor. If a factor has not been
determined for your particular type of development, staff will prepare an estimate based
on metered water use of similar types of development in the City (or elsewhere, if no
such use exists within the City). The normal factors can be reduced if you demonstrate a
history of lower usage in a similar project, or that your project will use substantially less
City water because private well water or reclaimed water will be used for landscape
irrigation or industrial processes.
Oftee the required eAeeatien is known, yett detible it to find the fequif:ed . The
regtttred pffset equals t) a required atlopation
Then, list the facilities you propose to retrofit. Table 1 can be used to get a rough idea
of the number of units you will need to retrofit. As you list the places you propose to
retrofit, indicate the offset credit for each, depending on the number of bathrooms and
the.gallonage of the toilets 'before" and "after," as shown in Table 2. If some of the
dwellings or motel rooms do not have full bathrooms, or if you will have different
"before" or "after" toilet capacities within a dwelling, you must add up the offset values of
individual fixtures, from Table 3. Note: the larger 'before" toilet gallonage is considered
the first toilet,if a dwelling has two toilets of different capacities. See Table 2-13 and
consult staff if you are proposing to retrofit other than dwellings or motel rooms.
Most toilets are not labelled with the amount of water needed to flush them. Most
toilets installed before 1978 use at least five gallons, while those installed from 1979
through 1989 use about 3.5 gallons, the state standard. Nearly all those installed in new
buildings after January 1989 must meet the City standard of 1.5 gallons per flush
maximum. To check, turn off the water to the toilet; flush it; using a.container of known
capacity (a one-gallon milk jug is convenient) refill the tank and the bowl.
For more information: Community Development Department
990 Palm Street (PO Box 8100)
San Luis Obispo, CA 93403-8100
805 781-7172
4 �_'�
[revised - changes not shown in legislative draft form]
Table 1
APPROXIMATE NUMBERS OF DWELLINGS OR MOTEL
UNITS TO RETROFIT TO ALLOW CONSTRUCTION
Note. assumes changing from 3.5-gallon to I.5-gallon toilets.
Proposed construction Number of one Number of
bathroom units (a) two-bathroom units (a)
New house, standard lot 8 7
New house, large lot
(>.25 acre)(b) 15 13
New residential condominium 6 5
New apartment in complex 5 4
New apartment added to house 3 3
Nonmedical office 2 1.5
(per 1,000 square feet)
Downtown store 1 1
(per 1,000 square feet)
Service commercial 1.5 1.5
(per 1,000 square feet)
One motel unit 4 3
Full-service restaurant 33 28
(per 1,000 square feet)
Notes:
(a) These are approximate amounts to help builders estimate offset requirements and
costs. The required offset amount will be expressed in acre-feet, not as a number of
dwellings or toilets. The required offset will be determined when a building-permit
application is submitted and a specific combination of units to be retrofitted is proposed,
in accordance with the City's Water Use Factors (separate publication), Offset Values
(Table 2), or Fixture Offset Values (Table 3).
(b) Based on such a dwelling needing 0.75 AF offset; may be reduced to 0.56 AF offset
if there is an easement limiting irrigated planting area to 3,000 square feet or less.
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urban
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Managemeni
Plan,
ItiarcN 1994
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1 Purpose and Scope. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.2 Relationship to General Plan and Other Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.3 Current Water Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
CHAPTER 2. WATER POLICY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.1 Safe Annual Yield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.2 Water Conservation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
2.3 Water Demand Projections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
2.4 Reliability Reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
2.5 Siltation at Salinas and Whale Rock Reservoirs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
2.6 Supplemental Water Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
2.7 Multi-Source Water Supply Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
2.8 Allocation of New Water Supplies ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
2.9 Water Allocation and Offsets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . 26
2.10 Reclaimed Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . 28
2.11 Capital Improvement Plan- Water Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
CHAPTER 3. SUPPLEMENTAL WATER SUPPLY PROJECTS . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
3.1 Salinas Reservoir Expansion Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
3.2 Nacimiento Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
3.3 Water Reuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
-3.4 Water Demand Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
3.5 Other Supplemental Water Supply Project Alternatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
CHAPTER 4. WATER OPERATIONAL PROGRAMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
4.1 Water Treatment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
4.2 Water Distribution . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
4.3 Water Customer Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
4.4 Telemetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
4.5 Water Conservation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
CHAPTER 5. FINANCIAL PLAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
5.1 Water Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
5.2 Annual Water Fund and Rate Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
APPENDICES
City of San Luis Obispo i
I I
TABLE OF CONTENTS - continued
Figures, Tables, Appendices
FIGURES
Figure 1. Whale Rock Conveyance System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Figure 2. Production and Demand - Reclaimed Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Figure 3. City's Water Supply and Conveyance System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Figure 4. Pressure Zones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Figure 5. Storage Facilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Figure 6. Water Transmission Schematic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Figure 7. Water Telemetry System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
TABLES
Table 2.3.4 City Water Use 1980-1993 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Table 2.3.5 Two Methods to Derive Estimate of Per Capita Water Use . . . . . . . . 18
Table 2.5.1 Summary of Salinas Reservoir Capacity Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Table 2.5.2 Safe Annual Yield due to Siltation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Table 2.6.1 Supplemental Water Required for General Plan Build-Out . . . . . . . . 22
Table 3.1 Salinas Reservoir Expansion Project Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Table 4.5.3 Water Savings through Hardware Retrofit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
APPENDICES
Appendix I Water Policy Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I-1
Appendix H Best Management Practices Implementation Update . . . . . . . . . . . U-1
Appendix III Water Supply, Projects No Longer Being Pursued . . . . . . . . . . . . . III-1
Appendix IV Water Distribution/Customer Service Workload Analysis . . . . . . . . IV-1
Appendix V Water Conservation'Office Programs and Services . . . . . . . . . . . . V-1
Appendix VI Water Fund Rate Review - September 7, 1993 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VI-1
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ii City of San Luis Obispo
FOREWORD
This Urban Water Management Plan was developed by City of San Luis Obispo Utilities,
Community Development and Finance Departments staff as a single policy and resource
document. It was intended to consolidate information regarding policies and programs as they
relate to the City's water resources. As a planning document, this Urban Water Management
Plan was intended to provide the basis upon which the Utilities Department would pursue
development of water resources, programs and services. As the City progresses with the various
projects and programs identified in this document, it will be necessary to review and modify this
document, especially as it relates to the policies established herein.
The Urban Water Management Plan was structured to serve as an easily-understood water policy
and resource guide. Following the introduction, the major policies are stated, followed by a
description and analysis of the projects, programs and financial considerations necessary to
support those policies and the goals of the City's General Plan. The chapter on policies,
Chapter 2, was structured to first identify the policy and its relation to other policies contained
in the plan, then to provide the "basis" of that policy or the rationale used in malting the policy
decision. This format created a document where the substantive policy information was readily
retrievable without having to search the text for the actual policy statement.
The policies and information contained in this Urban Water Management Plan provide the
necessary policy support for the water-related ordinances and regulations contained in the
Municipal Code (Titles 4, 13 and 17).
Planning for the development and wise use of our water resources is of paramount importance
to the City of San Luis Obispo. This Urban Water Management Plan and the policies contained
herein will provide the foundation for responsible water resource planning.
City of San Luis Obispo i��
f
i
iv City dUSan Luis Obispo
ti
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
This summary describes the purpose, water policies, operations, and a basis for financial
analysis of the Urban Water Management Plan (Plan). The goal of the summary is to provide
a clear, concise overview of the water planning and management decisions facing the City of San
Luis Obispo.
PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
The purposes of the Plan are to assist in formulating long range City water policy, determine
needed improvements in the water supply and distribution systems, identify needed expansion
to reach General Plan goals, and develop a financial plan for achieving the recommendations
presented in this document.
The specific objectives of the Plan can be summarized as follows:
■ Provide estimates of future supplemental water requirements based the Land Use
planning Element and per capita use figures.
■ Provide an evaluation of alternative supply sources that could meet supplemental
water requirements.
■ Summarize water treatment processes and regulations, and identify the water treatment,
distribution and storage systems current deficiencies and future needs.
■ Consolidate previous water policy. _
■ Evaluate the Water Conservation Program.
■ Comply withState Law, AB 797, the Urban Water Management Planning Act.
URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN SUMMARY
This Executive Summary condenses the Plan into the following six main areas:
1.2 The Plan's Relationship to the General Plan
1.3 Current Water Supply Sources
2. Water Policy
3. Supplemental Water Supply Projects
4. Water Operational Programs
5. Financial Plan
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City of San Luis Obispo V
r
Urban Water Management Ph, executive Summary
1.2 THE PLAN'S RELATIONSHIP TO THE GENERAL PLAN AND OTHER
DOCUMENTS
This plan replaces the Water section of the General Plan's Water and Wastewater Management.
Element, adopted in 1987. This plan includes all information needed to comply with state law
AB 797, the Urban Water Management Planning Act.
Implementation progress of this plan will be presented to the Council on yearly basis as part of
the Annual Water Operational Plan.
1.3 CURRENT WATER SUPPLY SOURCES
The City of San Luis Obispo currently receives water from three sources, Salinas.Reservoir,
Whale Rock Reservoir, and local groundwater. The City has depended on imported supplies
from Salinas Reservoir, located near the community of Santa Margarita, since 1944 and Whale
Rock Reservoir, located near the community of Cayucos, since 1964. With the onset of the
drought in 1986, resulting in decreasing surface water supplies, the City activated its
groundwater sources in 1989.
2.0 WATER POLICY
The following policy statements and basis for policy summaries provide the foundation for
delivering an adequate supply of water to meet current and projected demands for the City of
San Luis Obispo.
2.1 SAFE ANNUAL YIELD
Po
2.1.1 Basis for Planning
The City will plan for land development and for water supplies based on the amount of water
which can be supplied each year, under critical drought conditions. This amount, called "safe
annual yield", will be adopted by the City Council. The safe annual yield determination will
be revised as significant new information becomes available, and as water sources are gained
or lost. The determination will consider a staff analysis, which will recommend an amount
based on coordinated use of all water sources. Each change to safe annual yield will be
reflected in an amendment of this plan.
2.1.2 Safe Yield Amount
The City's safe annual yield of potable water is 7,735 acre feet, based on 7,235 acre feet from
the coordinated operation of Salinas Reservoir and Whale Rock Reservoir, and 500 acre feet of
groundwater.
Vi City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Management Plan - Executive Summary
2.1.3 Groundwater
The amount of groundwater which the City will rely upon towards safe annual yield is identified
in Section 2.1.2. The City will maximize the use of groundwater in conjunction with other
available water supplies to maximized the yield and long term reliability of all water resources
and to minimize overall costs for meeting urban water demands. M cfity.��........ ... ...ob
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Basis for E001a Summery
The safe annual yield of a reservoir depends on rainfall, the resulting runoff, evaporation, and
releases for purposes other than the supply in question (such as required releases for downstream
uses). The estimation of safe annual yield is based on historical hydrological data. The City
has developed a mathematical computer model of the Salinas and Whale Rock.Reservoirs, which
accounts for all the factors that result in a safe yield amount. The current safe annual yield
amount results from using data from 1943 through 1991. This period includes the drought
periods of 1946-51, 1959-61, 1976-77, and 1986-91.
The current calculation reflects taking advantages of differences between the reservoirs through
coordinated operation which means the City uses Salinas first, since it gains and loses water
faster than Whale Rock, which is used as a backup source. The safe annual yield of 7,735 acre
feet was adopted by the City Council as part of the 1992/93 Water Operational Plan.
2.2 WATER CONSERVATION
LoAa
2.2.1 Long-term Water Efficiency
The City will implement water efficiency programs which will maintain long-term , per capita
usage at least ten percent below the average per capita usage recorded during 1986/87. The
target amount is the long-term planning figure as defined in Section 2.3.
2.2.2 Short-term Water Shortages
Short-term mandatory measures, in addition to the long-term programs, will be implemented
when the City's water supplies are projected to last three years or less based on projected water
consumption, coordinated use of all City water supplies sources, and considering the drought
pattern on which safe yield is based (or response to other situations which may interrupt supply).
94& for LO—Ad Summary
Water conservation was first referenced as a part of the City's water management policy in the
1973 General Plan. In 1985, the City adopted the Annual Water Operational Plan policy which
established water conservation as a means to extend water supplies during projected water
City of San Luis Obispo VU
Urban Water Management Pla.. Executive Summary
shortages. During this time, many technological and philosophical changes have occurred which
are proving water conservation to.be both a short term corrective measure for immediate water
supply shortages and a long term solution to water supply reliability.
2.3 WATER DEMAND PROJECTIONS
Poli
2.3.1 Basis of Projections
The City will project water requirements, considering long-term conditions and the full range
of water uses in the City. Separate projections of potable and nonpotable requirements will be
made.
2.3.2 Water Use Rate
The City shall use 165 gallons per person per day (0.185 acre-feet per person per year) and the
number of City residents to plan total future water supplies. This quantity will be revised if
warranted by long-term water use trends, including differences in the relationship between
residential and nonresidential usage.
2.3.3 Overall Projected Water Demand
Applying 165 gallons per person per day to a projected City resident population of 56,000 at
General Plan build-out results in a projected water demand of 10,350 acre-feet, (excluding
demand from the Cal Poly campus, which has separate entitlements).
2.3.4 Present Water Demand
Present water demand shall be calculated by multiplying the water use rate identified in Section
2.3.2 by the current city population.
Bags for Policy Summarx
The City must know how much water will be needed to serve residents, businesses, and other
users which could be accommodated by the General Plan. This quantity can be projected using
different methods. All methods involve assumptions about both future usage rates and the
numbers and types of users expected in the future. ' The quantity expressed in the policy above
corresponds closely with both (1) total citywide usage compared with total resident population
and (2) projections of water demand based on usage by various land use categories.
viii City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Management F. • Executive Summary
Bads for Policy Summary
Based on the draft Land Use Element endorsed by the City Council in February 1992 and the
per capita use rate, the projected total amount of water for the City to serve General Plan build-
out is 12,350 acre feet. This figure includes the 2,000 acre feet reliability reserve and
accounting for siltation at the reservoirs.
2.7 MULTI-SOURCE WATER SUPPLY
Policy
The City shall continue to develop and use water resources projects to maintain multi-source
water supplies, and in this manner, reduce reliance on any one source of water supply and
increase its supply options in future droughts or other water supply emergencies.
Basis for Poiia SummM
Having several sources of water can avoid dependence on one source that would not be available
during a drought or other water supply reduction. The Council has supported having multiple
sources since adopting the General Plan Water Management Element in 1987 and by endorsing
the above policy statement in November 1990.
2.8 ALLOCATION OF NEW SUPPLIES
. Policy .
2.8.1 Balancing Safe Annual Yield and Overall Demand
When new water sources are obtained, the additional safe annual yield shall be allocated first
to eliminate the deficit between safe annual yield (Section 2.1) and present demand as defined
in Section 2.3.4 at the time the new source is obtained.
2.8.2 Development and the Reliability Reserve
Any additional safe annual yield beyond that needed to balance safe annual yield and present
water demand will be allocated (A) one-half to development and (B) one-half to the reliability
reserve and compensating for reduced yields due to siltation.
2.8.3 Accounting for Reclaimed Water
Reclaimed water shall be accounted for as a "nonpotable" supply as identified under Section
2.10.3. Use of reclaimed water shall not be considered as a component of the City's safe annual
yield, but may affect demand on potable supplies as reclaimed water use increases.
x City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Management P. Executive Summary
2.8.4 Private Water Supplies
When developments are supplied by private groundwater wells, the yield of those wells will not
be counted toward the City's safe annual yield. Such yield, however, will result in the demand
for City water supply being lower.than it otherwise would be, which may affect adjustments of
the per capita water usage figure used to estimate overall demand.
Basis for LoAd Summary
The City is pursuing additional water supply projects. The City must address how the added
yield from these projects will be allocated, since the yield added at any one time may not supply
all potential uses. The City has identified the following potential uses for the new supplies:
■ Eliminating the deficit between adopted planning water usage figures and safe yield;
■ Compensating for reduced yields due to reservoir siltation;
■ Establishing a reliability reserve;
■ Providing for development of more dwellings, businesses, and public facilities.
The policies objectives are to balance the needs of all the areas identified while not compounding
the potential water shortage problems for existing residents of the City.
2.9 WATER ALLOCATION AND OFFSETS
Policy
2.9.1 Supplying New Development
The City will make available to new development only that amount of safe yield which exceeds
present water use (as stated in Section 2.3.4), less the amount to compensate for siltation losses
(as stated in Section 2.5) and to provide a reliability reserve (as stated in Section 2.4). Available
allocations will be assigned to development in a way that supports balanced growth, consistent
with the General Plan.
2.9.2 Exemptions for Offsets
A. When there is no safe annual yield to allocate to a project, that project may be built if
the developer makes changes, in facilities served by the City, which will reduce long-
term water usage equal to the allocation required for the project.
B. The City may exempt a project from needing an allocation or an offset, or it may reduce
the amount of the required allocation or offset, to the extent that the project is supplied
by a suitable, private well which will not significantly affect the yield of City wells. The
City will consider the cumulative effect of wells in the groundwater basin in making this
determination.
City of San Luis Obispo x1
Urban Water Management Pi_ • Executive Summary
2.9.3 Basis for Allocations and Offsets
Required allocations and offsets will be based on long-term usage for each type of development.
(These usage and offset factors will be determined and published by the City, and may be
revised as warranted by new information.)
Basis for Policy Summary
In 1988, the City began to formally account for long-term water usage in new development. As
a result of the 1986-1991 drought, the City decided that there should be no new development
that would increase water use unless safe yield and present use would be balanced. Nearly all
construction since 1990 has been replacement buildings, remodels, or projects which retrofitted
facilities to save (offset) twice the amount of water or water allocation necessary to serve the
Project.
Requiring an offset-to-allocation ratio greater than one-to-one means that long-term water usage
will decline even as development occurs. Requiring a ratio of greater than one-to-one makes
projects less feasible, and raises questions of equity.
2.10 RECLADAED WATER
Policy
2.10.1 Reclaimed Water Quality
The City will produce high quality reclaimed water, suitable for a wide range of nonpotable
uses.
2.10.2 Uses of Reclaimed Water
The.City will discharge to San Luis Obispo Creek one cubic foot per second of reclaimed water
for aquatic and riparian habitats. The City will make available reclaimed water to substitute for
existing potable water uses and to supply new nonpotable uses.
2.10.3 Accounting for Reclaimed Water
As reclaimed water supplies new development or substitutes for potable water in existing
development, reliable yield of nonpotable water will be increased. Reclaimed water will be
credited to nonpotable reliable yield not when it is potentially available at the treatment plant,
but when it is actually available to a user due to completion of the necessary distribution
facilities.
3-ate
xii City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Management P. Executive Summary
2.10.4 City Reclaimed Water Projects
When the City provides distribution facilities that allow substitution of reclaimed water for
potable water, the resulting reduction in potable water demand will be given offset credit for
government projects (including new City parks or buildings), under any policies or rules limiting
the amount of water which can be allocated to development projects.
2.10.5 Private Reclaimed Water Projects
A. When a developer of a private project provides distribution facilities that allow
the substitution of reclaimed water in facilities that have used potable City water,
the resulting reduction in potable water usage will be credited to any allocation
of potable water needed for the developer's project, at a one-to-one ratio. .
B. When a developer of a private project provides distribution facilities that allow
use of reclaimed water in that project, any required potable water allocation for
that project shall be reduced by a corresponding amount.
2.10.6 Combined Reclaimed Water Projects
When a component of the reclaimed water distribution system is funded in part by the City and
in part by a private developer, the credit for reduction in potable water usage resulting from that
component shall be divided in a proportionate share between the City and the developer based
on the respective contribution to the component.
Basis for Policy SwnmarX
Reclaimed water is highly treated wastewater (sewage) which can be used for many nonpotable
uses such as landscape irrigation, industrial processes, and toilet flushing in certain types of
buildings. Use of reclaimed water will require a separate distribution system from potable water
lines.
Reclaimed water can be used to supply nonpotable uses in new development and to offset potable
uses in existing development. These potential uses require a deliberate method to account for
reclaimed water use, consistent with policies concerning total water requirements and other water
sources.
2.11 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN-WATER DISTRIBUTION
Poli
The City shall replace aging water lines at the yearly rate of 2% of the value of the water
distribution system (about $1.5 million annually in 1993 dollars).
City of San Luis Obispo xiii
Y
Urban Water Management Pls.. - Executive Summary
Basis jor Policy &MMIRY
Growth within the City has placed increased demands on the water distribution system. Some
pipes are over 100 years old, and may be too small to meet current fire-flow requirements. The
City has not funded distribution system replacement sufficiently to ensure replacement prior to
reaching the end of the infrastructure's service life.
Past funding for water main replacement was based on an estimated 150 miles of pipeline in the
City. Updated information reveals that there is actually 290 miles of mains with an estimated
replacement value of$75,000,000. Therefore, replacing 2% of the infrastructure annually would
require $1,500,000 per year in 1993 dollars.
3.0 SUPPLEMENTAL WATER SUPPLY PROJECTS
Policy
The City shall pursue the expansion of the Salinas Reservoir, the Nacimiento Reservoir Project,
water reuse, and water demand management activities as supplemental water supply sources to
meet current and projected water demand.
Introduction
The City has been pursuing several water supply options over the past several years to secure
adequate supplies to meet current and projected future demand. The following section discusses
the projects presently being considered by the City.
3.1 SALINAS RESERVOIR EXPANSION PROJECT
The Salinas Dam was constructed by the War Department in 1941 to provide water to Camp San
Luis Obispo and the City of San Luis Obispo. The original construction plans for the dam
included the installation of an operable spillway gate to provide an estimated storage capacity
of approximately 45,000 acre-feet. A small fracture was discovered beneath the dam during
construction. Therefore, the gates were not installed because of stability concerns.
An 1989 study revealed that the dam (following the installation of the gates) was strong enough
to withstand a major earthquake without failing or causing a sudden release of water. The
analysis also found that raising the dam 19 feet would produce an additional 1,650 acre-feet a
year of safe annual yield from the reservoir.
Before the projects proceeds, two hurdles must be crossed. They are certifying the
environmental impact report, which is tentatively set for March 1994, and resolving the
ownership issue of the reservoir facilities. The City Council has supported the ownership
transfer to the County of San Luis Obispo and has been working to develop an agreement
acceptable to both parties.
3�7
xiv City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Management Pla.. - Executive Summary
3.2 NACUMENTO RESERVOIR PROJECT
The Nacimiento Reservoir provides flood protection and is a source of supply for groundwater
recharge for the Salinas Valley. It is owned and operated by the Monterey 'County Flood
Control and Water Conservation District. The San Luis Obispo County Flood Control and
Water Conservation District (District) has an entitlement of 17,500 acre-feet per year of water .
from the reservoir.
The preliminary feasibility study has been divided into three phases and District has requested
that agencies interested in future participation share the costs associated with the studies. Phase
I of the study evaluated the reliability of the reservoir to deliver water at a maximum amount
of 17,500 acre-feet per year and was completed in December 1992. The purpose of Phase H
is to evaluate and recommend equitable apportionment of the District's entitlement to interested
agencies, to analyze and determine the best pipeline alignment, to determine facility
requirements, estimate costs, and to determine probable environmental impacts and mitigation
measures. The reports were completed in December 1993. Work on Phase III, the final report
and recommendations, will be completed in February 1994.
3.3 WATER REUSE
Reuse of the highly treated water produced by the City's Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) is
a drought resistant portion of the City's multi-source water plan. The WRF produces
approximately 4,000 acre-feet of disinfected tertiary treated reclaimed water per year. This
water is suitable for most uses other than drinking and food preparation. Of the 4,000 acre-feet,
the City proposes to dedicate 720 acre-feet per year of reclaimed water to San Luis Obispo
Creek to maintain and enhance the in-stream habitat.
Since most of the recycled water will be used for irrigation, it is estimated that only 1,830 of
the remaining 3,280 acre-feet will actually be useable. This is because demand for irrigation
water is very limited during the winter while discharge from the WRF is fairly constant. The
City does not plan to construct a seasonal storage facility at this time.
The Water Reuse Project will construct a distribution system to deliver reclaimed water to large
volume customers throughout San Luis Obispo. The system will be designed for future
expansion to serve small volume users, when it becomes economically feasible to do so. The
City's Wastewater Division will operate the WRF and the water reuse pumps and filters located
at the treatment Facility. The City's Water Division will operate and maintain the water reuse
distribution system. The tentative completion date of the project is June 1996.
3.4 WATER DEMAND MANAGEMENT
Water demand management practices and technology have advanced significantly in the last
several years in reaction to the drought of 1986-1991. Historically, water demand management
was viewed as an emergency response to extreme water shortage situations. The importance of
using our water resources wisely and efficiently is imperative to assure adequate, reliable water
supplies in the future.
3-a g
City of San Luis Obispo xv
Urban Water Management Plan - Executive Summary
In September 1991, the City Council approved and authorized the Mayor to sign the
"Memorandum of Understanding" (MOU) regarding urban water conservation and the
implementation of the "Best Management Practices" (BMP's). This signifies a minimum ten
year commitment to implement and evaluate the water efficiency measures presented in the
MOU. Using the BMP's as a road map for future water demand management program
implementation, a balanced program of providing information and assistance to the City's water
customers is necessary to maintain the water use levels required to "stabilize the City's water
supplies."
3.5 OTHER SUPPLEMENTAL WATER SUPPLY ALTERNATIVES
3.5.1 Desalination
In May 1990, the City began a feasibility study for a short-term desalination facility. The
preliminary analysis concluded that 3,000 acre feet per year of water could be provided at an
estimated cost of 19.5 million dollars. The "Miracle March" rains of 1991 provided adequate
runoff and storage in the City's reservoirs to allow the termination of the desalination project
on April 16, 1991.
Desalination may be a water supply consideration in the future if other water supply projects
currently under review are not accomplished. Though considered an expensive source of water
at this time, advances in technology in the future may reduce the costs to a more acceptable
level.
3.5.2 Cloud Seeding
The City activated a three year cloud seeding program in January 1991 in response to the
drought. The program targeted the Salinas and Lopez reservoirs watersheds, and the County
of San Luis Obispo paid a prorata share of the total cost of the program.
Salinas Reservoir's watershed runoff characteristics are favorable for producing significant runoff
during average rain seasons. Therefore, cloud seeding is not viewed as an annual program but
as a program that the Council may approve following below normal rainfall years.
3.5.3 Salinas to Whale Rock Transfer
The idea of transferring water which would otherwise spill downstream from Salinas Reservoir
to Whale Rock Reservoir was evaluated by staff and presented to Council in 1993. The analysis
revealed numerous obstacles and limitations, and Council directed staff not to proceed at this
time with further studies relative to this project.
Wa
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xvi City of San Luis Obispo —��
Urban Water Management Ph. _ Executive Summary
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4.0 WATER OPERATIONAL PROGRAMS
LO-Aa
The City shall sustain city-wide water efficiency programs and provide an adequate supply of
high quality water which
■ Meets all Federal and State standards;
■ provides uninterrupted water flow at sufficient pressures;
■ provides fire protection.
The City shall allocate funding to meet the goals and objectives presented in this chapter (also
see Chapter 5).
Introduction
This section will describe the existing water system, operation and maintenance procedures, and
identify current and future system deficiencies.
4.1 WATER TREATMENT
Over the past twenty years, surface water treatment and groundwater treatment standards and
regulations have become more stringent. With the enactment of the Safe Drinking Water Act
(SDWA) in 1974, Congress authorized the federal government to establish national drinking
water regulations. Since that time, many amendments have been made to the act which require
additional monitoring and treatment and thereby increased operational costs.
For the City, the most significant issue is the regulation aimed at reducing the formation of
disinfection by-products, specifically trihhalomethanes (THM's). To remain within the
acceptable level of THM's, meet anticipated future surface water quality standards, and increase
water treatment operational efficiency, the City is upgrading the water treatment facility to use
ozone as the primary disinfectant instead of chlorine.
In November 1992, nitrate levels in the Auto Park Way well exceeded State standards, so that
well was taken off-line. The City's Denny's well experienced a similar increase in nitrate levels
and was taken off-line in June 1993. Treatment alternatives for nitrate removal will be
recommended to Council during 1994.
9-00
City of San Luis Obispo xvii
Urban Water Management Pfau- Executive Summary
4.2 WATER DISTRIBUTION
The water distribution program delivers potable water from the water treatment plant and wells
to customers and fire hydrants via three storage reservoirs, six pump stations, eight water tanks,
and approximately 300 miles of water mains. Some pipes are over 100 years old, and many are
too small to meet current fire-flow requirements. The City has not funded distribution system
replacement sufficiently to ensure replacement prior to reaching the end of the infrastructure's
service life. Because of this, the current water distribution staff workload is limited mainly to
corrective maintenance with minimal time for preventative maintenance.
In order improve the reliability of the water distribution system, a comprehensive preventative
maintenance program should be established. A workload analysis indicates that a minimum of
two additional staff will be required to implement a cost effective preventative maintenance
program. Funding in addition to the Capital Improvement Plan (Section 2.11) may be necessary
to correct other recognized system deficiencies.
4.3 WATER CUSTOMER SERVICE
The Water Customer Service Program is responsible for accurately measuring water delivered
through the distribution system to the City's 12,500 customers. Other duties include the repair
of meter leaks, meter replacement and testing, and the starting and discontinuance of service.
The current program needs are being met with assistance from the water distribution crew during
peak workload periods. Future growth will add a significant number of water meters which may
require additional staffing. As areas are annexed, an analysis of staffing impacts will be
performed and recommendations presented to Council.
4.4 TELEMETRY
Telemetry literally means "measuring at a distance". Telemetry became part of the Utilities'
operations in 1988 when the Regional Water Quality Control Board required installation of
alarms on the City wastewater collection lift stations. It has evolved into complex computer
network, monitoring the City's water and wastewater systems. When completed, the telemetry
system will save staff time by allowing the monitoring and system adjustments to be made from
a central location, add reliability to the water system, and insure the City is in compliance with
federal and state regulations.
4.5 WATER CONSERVATION
In June 1985, the Council adopted the Annual Water Operational Policy which established a
procedure to monitor the City's water supply situation. An integral component of the policy was
the establishment of a water demand program aimed at instituting preventative measures when
water supply deficits are projected.
Water conservation has two primary components, short-term and long-term water demand
management. Short-term activities address immediate water shortage situations caused by
prolonged below normal rainfall or disruption in water service due to natural disaster such as
9-9/
xviii City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Management F Executive Summary
an earthquake. Due to the drought and water shortages experienced from 1989 to 1992, the
short-term measures developed during that period (formalized in the City's Water Shortage
Contingency Plan) will be a model for any future water emergencies the City might face.
Long-term programs make permanent reductions in water demand while minimally impacting
customer's lifestyles. In September 1991, The City approved and signed the "Memorandum of
Understanding" (MOU) regarding urban water conservation and the implementation of the "Best
Management Practices" (BMP's). The BMP's act as a road map for the City's long-term water
conservation program.
5.0 FINANCIAL PLAN
Lodhla
The City's policy is to fully recover all water costs, operations, an[et3ance, aptitat, >aeT
serv�c�x anNoNsoNd apprapriafs overheat , through water revenues. City Council resolution No. 6447
states the primary goals of the City's water utility are to provide quality water service to its
citizens and to function as a self-sufficient enterprise. Under the policy, all water revenues are
used only for water purposes. The water fund will reimburse the general fund for all indirect
costs pursuant to the approved cost allocation plan. .
�3 3a
City of San Luis Obispo xix
,1
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�3 33
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The City of San Luis Obispo has aggressively monitored and managed its water resources during
the past decade. Faced.with increasingly restrictive budgets, growing population, limited
resources, and the commitment to serving our customers needs, the City has fostered a
management style which is pro-active rather than reactive, with an emphasis on actions which
achieve practical results. This philosophy is the foundation for the Utilities Department's
development of the Urban Water Management Plan.
To evaluate the current water supply and delivery systems and to plan for needed expansion and
improvements through the year 2025, the City has undertaken the preparation of this document.
The purposes of the plan are to formulate long range City water policy, identify needed
improvements both in the water supply and distribution systems, determine needed expansion
to reach the General .Plan goals, and develop a basis for financial planning to achieve the
recommendations made in this document.
Objectives and Scoge
The specific objectives of the Urban Water Management Plan can be summarized as follows:
■ Provide estimates of future supplemental water requirements based on population
projections developed from the General Plan Land Use Element and per capita water use
figures.
■ Provide an evaluation of alternative water supply sources, both short and long term, that
could meet supplemental water requirements. Evaluations shall be based on economic,
technical, and environmental factors.
■ Summarize the water treatment processes and regulations, and identify the water
treatment, distribution and storage systems current deficiencies and future needs.
■ Consolidate previously-adopted water policy.
■ Evaluate the water conservation program.
■ Comply with state law, AB•797, the Urban Water Management Planning Act.
City of San Luis Obispo 1��
Urban Water Management —an
The Urban Water Management Plan for the City of San Luis Obispo will provide a policy and
strategy for adequately developing the City's water resources and its treatment and delivery
systems. It will also bring the City into compliance with the requirements of state law (AB 797)
relating to water conservation. The Plan will clearly define and analyze the key water issues
facing the City and then identify solutions to meet our supply and infrastructure needs. It will
also evaluate financial options and address institutional relationships as necessary. The Plan is
consistent with the goals, policies, land use, and population projections presented in the 1994
Planning Commission draft Land Use Element.
3-35
2 City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Managemen, n
1.2 RELATIONSHIP TO GENERAL PLAN AND OTHER DOCUMENTS
This plan replaces the water section of the General Plan's Water and Wastewater Management
Element, adopted in 1987. This plan includes all information needed to comply with State law
AB 797, the Urban Water Management Planning Act and will be updated in the Year 2000 in
accordance with provisions of AB 797.
Progress on the implementation of this plan will be presented to the City Council on a yearly
basis as part of the Annual Water. Operational Plan.
3�
City of San Luis Obispo 3
Urban Water Management An
1.3 CURRENT WATER SOURCES
1.3.1 SALINAS RESERVOIR
Introduction
The Salinas Reservoir (also known as Santa Margarita Lake) is located on the upper Salinas
River, approximately nine miles southeast of the community of Santa Margarita. The project
was originally built by the U.S. Army to ensure an adequate water supply for Camp San Luis
Obispo. The dam and appurtenances were declared surplus by the War Department on April
141 1947 and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers assumed responsibility for the facilities. On
July 11, 1947, the Corps entered into an agreement with the San Luis Obispo County Flood
Control and Water Conservation District (District) for the operation and maintenance of the dam
and related facilities. The City has an agreement with the Corps for the full entitlement of water
from the reservoir. As part of this agreement, the City pays to the District all operation and
maintenance costs associated with the water delivery and storage facilities.
Operation and Distribution
Salinas Reservoir is formed by a concrete arched dam. Immediately following construction, the
reservoir had an estimated storage capacity of 26,000 acre-feet, surface area of 793 acres, and
a drainage area of 112 square miles. As a result of siltation the reservoir capacity has been
reduced. This is discussed in more detail in Chapter 2, Section 5.
Water is conveyed from Salinas Reservoir through 48,700 feet (9.2 miles) of 24-inch diameter
reinforced concrete pipe to a 3,000,000 gallon regulating reservoir at Santa Margarita booster
pumping station. The pipeline is designed to flow by gravity from the reservoir when the
reservoir surface level is above the elevation of 1,267 feet. A booster pump station at the base
of the dam, consisting of two horizontal centrifugal pumps, is capable of maintaining the rated
flow of 12 cubic feet per second (cfs) when the water surface elevation falls below 1,267 feet.
Three electrically driven horizontal centrifugal pumps at the Santa Margarita booster station
pump water through 6,810 feet of 24-inch diameter reinforced concrete pipe to the entrance
portal of the Cuesta Tunnel, which runs 5,327 feet through the mountains near Cuesta Grade.
From the outlet portal of the tunnel, water is conveyed through an 18-inch diameter steel
pipeline a distance of 5,133 feet to the City's turnout point. From the turnout, an 18-inch
diameter pipe runs 4,180 feet to the Stenner Creek hydroelectric plant. From there, a pipeline
that varies from 24-inches to 30-inches in diameter conveys the water by gravity to the water
treatment plant 5,930 feet downstream.
Operation and Maintenance Evaluation
The operation and maintenance of the dam and water conveyance system are the responsibility
of San Luis Obispo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District. The City currently
pays all operating and capital costs associated with the reservoir and transmission system
(excluding any recreational activities).
4 City of San Luis Obispo
3
Urban Water Managemen in
Recommendations for System Improvements
The City proposes to install a gate on the spillway in the Salinas Dam, effectively raising the
high water surface of the reservoir by approximately 19 feet. When completed, the expansion
of storage capacity from approximately 23,843 acre-feet to 41,790 acre-feet will increase the
safe annual yield of the reservoir by an estimated 1,650 acre-feet.
1.3.2 WHALE ROCK RESERVOIR
Introduction
Whale Rock reservoir is located on Old Creek approximately one half mile east of the
community of Cayucos. The project was planned, designed, and constructed under the
supervision of the State Department of Water Resources. Construction took place between.
October 1958 and April 1961. The reservoir is jointly owned by the City of San Luis Obispo,
the California Men's Colony, and the California Polytechnic State University at San Luis
Obispo. These three agencies form the Whale Rock Commission which is responsible for
operational policy and administration of the reservoir. Day-to-day operation is provided by the
City of San Luis Obispo.
Operation
Whale Rock reservoir is formed by an earthen dam and can store an estimated 40,662 acre-feet
of water. The project facilities consist of a 30-inch pipeline, two pumping stations, a
hydroelectric generator, 2.1 miles of trails and a fishing access facility, maintenance facility and
offices, a structure previously used as a private residence, and percolation ponds.
City staff are responsible for ongoing maintenance and operation of the reservoir, including the
inlet and outlet structures, reservoir structural instrumentation, access roads, daily reservoir level
readings and climatological data, percolation pond, reservoir patrol and security, hydroelectric
power generation, pipeline pumps and pumping stations, water meters, cathodic protection
system, and other associated duties. In addition, staff operates a seasonal steelhead hatchery at
the reservoir which started operation during the 1991/92 steelhead spawning season. Staff also
monitors public fishing access to the lake during trout season (April to November).
Conveyance System
The conveyance system (Figure 1) conveys water from the reservoir to the Whale Rock
Commission member agencies located between the reservoir and the City of San Luis Obispo.
Outlets from the pipeline exist for water deliveries to Chorro Reservoir and water treatment
plant(operated by the California Men's Colony), Cal Poly State University, and the City's water
treatment plant.
The Whale Rock pipeline is approximately 17 miles long, connecting the reservoir to the
member agencies, and terminates at the City's water treatment plant. The design capacity of the
3-38'
City of San Luis Obispo 5
Urban Water Management . ..,n
pipeline is 18.94 cubic feet per second (approximately 8,500 gallons per minute). The line
consists of modified prestressed concrete cylinder pipe at most locations. Cement mortar lined
steel pipe is used at creek crossings and junctions. The pipeline has surge protection consisting
of eight-inch, globe type, diaphragm-actuated pressure relief valves which protect the line from
excessive pressures. The cathodic protection system consists of sacrificial anodes and test
stations located in area subject to galvanic corrosion. Recent inspections of the inside of the
pipeline indicate the condition of the pipeline to be very good with no rehabilitation needed in
the near future.
Two pump stations transmit the water along the pipeline to member agencies. The first pump
station is located in Cayucos at Chaney Way (elevation 44 feet). The second station is located
in Camp San Luis Obispo, approximately six miles southeast of Morro Bay (elevation 181 feet).
Each station has five pumps which are capable of varying flow rates requested by member
agencies. Upgrades to both pump stations, which included the addition of two pumps at each
station, were completed in August 1993.
Cayueos tenea6ero
N
Whale Root l
Reservoir \
Q; E`��jv' — t 0�1 �2 Was
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0 '�R; � p ''\..•K
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Treatment Ptam
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= Ip /I s4gF ipMF Chorre Re,.,*
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/fp Sin 6 Statim B Sts 72g La
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Obispo
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City Water Treatrnent Plant
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lJ W Power^.lertt
WHALE ROCK
and Ouna: n city Ot� Wt. Tmetment Plant amretIon to Abandonsd
CONVEYANCE City Water Treatment Plant
CONDUIT San Luis obis Location Map
Figure 1 WHALE ROCK CONVEYANCE SYSTEM
Operating Agreements
Several agreements establish policy for the operation of the Whale Rock system and actions of
the member agencies. A brief description of the existing agreements follows:
43-C3?
6 City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Managemen m
1. Agreement for the construction and operation of the Whale Rock Project, 1957, set forth
the project's capital cost distribution to the member agencies.
2. A supplemental operating agreement, 1960, established the Whale Rock Commission and
apportioned the operating costs.
3. Downstream water rights agreement, 1958, established water entitlements for adjacent and
downstream water users. The downstream water users (Cayucos Area Water Organization or
CAWO) affected by this agreement consist of three public water purveyors and the cemetery.
In addition to the agencies, water entitlements were identified for separate downstream land
owners.
Entitlements are as follows:
■ Cayucos Area Water Organization ("CAWO") 600 Acre-feet
Paso Robles Beach Water Association
Morro Rock Mutual Water Company
County Water District #8
Cayucos-Morro Bay Cemetery District
■ Mainini 50
■ Ogle 14
Total Downstream Entitlement 664 Acre-feet
4. A decision and order by the Fish and Game Commission of the State of California,
October 24, 1964, required the Whale Rock Commission to stock the reservoir with 17,500
rainbow trout (between six and eight inches long) each year.
5. Superior Court decision #36101, 1977, required the Whale Rock Commission to allow
public entry to the reservoir for fishing. In 1981, construction was completed on access trails
and sanitary facilities at the reservoir, and public fishing began at the lake.
6. The City of San Luis Obispo and the San Luis Obispo Community College District
(Cuesta College) reached an agreement in 1987 to deliver up to 110 AF of untreated Whale Rock
water to the California Men's Colony Water Treatment Facility, for treatment and distribution
to the Cuesta College campus.
7. An agreement for water allocation and operational policy between the agencies forming
the Whale Rock Commission. The agreement established the accounting procedures to allow
each agency to carry over excess or deficit water each year.
8. An agreement between the Whale Rock Commission and the California Men's Colony,
1990, to establish maintenance and operation criteria for the Chorro Booster pumps. The
Chorro Booster pumps were installed by the Commission on the California Men's Colony
turnout from the Whale Rock line to reduce system pressures required to provide full flow to
9.40
City of San Luis Obispo 7
Urban Water Managemem An
the California Men's Colony water treatment plant. Pump and pump station maintenance, per
the agreement, are the responsibility of the California Men's Colony.
Operation and Maintenance Evaluation
Current reservoir staff consists of three full-time, regular employees and one part-time
employee. Reservoir staff are responsible for ongoing maintenance and operational duties which
include:
■ Inlet and outlet structure maintenance. Routine valve operations, trash rack cleaning,
outlet vault valve operation, lubrication, adjustments and repairs.
■ Reservoir structural instrumentation. Weekly recordings and analysis of piezometers,
groundwater levels, reservoir and underdrain seepage data, and erosion and slippage
control information.
■ Percolation pond operation. Daily regulation of the water releases to the pond areas
to optimize water availability to the downstream water agencies. Occasional dredging
of the pond areas has been necessary to maintain satisfactory pumping levels for the
downstream users.
■ Reservoir patrol and security. Daily surveillance of the reservoir, fences, and dam
areas.
■ Hydroelectric power generation. Coordinating flows to the downstream percolation
ponds. The power generation plant is only operated when storage at the reservoir nears
capacity which would warrant excess water releases.
■ Pipeline pumps and pumping stations. Daily inspections during operational periods
for readings, adjustments, and pump efficiency evaluation.
■ Water meters. Monthly readings and reporting of deliveries to the various agencies and
individuals. The meters monitored include Whale Rock member agencies' meters,
Cayucos Area Water Organization well meters and certain private party meters. Periodic
maintenance is required for the proper operation of these meters.
IN Cathodic protection. Annual monitoring of stations to ensure that the water
transmission line is properly maintained and protected.
■ The seasonal steelhead hatchery. Recently introduced to help alleviate a long term
deficiency in the availability of native steelhead trout for fish enhancement at Whale
Rock. Native adult steelhead are captured at the reservoir and spawned, then the young
are raised at the facility in circular pens until they are.old enough to re-introduce to the
reservoir. The hatchery program requires daily observation, treatments, and feeding of
the young steelhead during the rearing period, usually February through July or August.
Volunteer assistance is frequently used to assist in the hatchery operation.
3�l
8 City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Managemer m
Recommendations for System Improvements
With the upgrades of the pump stations which were completed in August, 1993, combined with
the cathodic system maintenance program which insures the reliability of the water transmission
line, it is anticipated that the raw water delivery system will not require capital improvements
in the near future. One area of concern at the reservoir is earth movement occurring close to
the fishing facility near Old Creek Road. The facility is located in an area which has been
impacted by soil slippage. Due to the current low interest in Whale Rock fishing, and the
hazardous condition at the facility's access driveway, the area has been closed to the public. An
increase in fishing activity at the reservoir would necessitate repair of the access and parking
areas. At the appropriate time, a specific proposal will be presented to Whale Rock commission
for approval.
Staffing Evaluation
Existing staffing levels are considered adequate for current workloads. However, as previously
mentioned, increased fishing activity at the reservoir could require additional monitoring and
repair of the facility and access trails. The existing Whale Rock staff have adjusted work
schedules to permit daily observation of the fishing access areas which eliminates the need for
seasonal fishing program personnel. Additional use would demand more of the staffs time
which would ultimately have a negative impact on the reservoir's over-all operation and
maintenance. Staff will closely monitor the fishing program at the reservoir and present a
recommendation to the Whale Rock Commission if the fishing activity increases beyond the
capabilities of the current staff to adequately monitor the access areas.
1.3.3 GROUNDWATER
Introduction
The City's major source of water was groundwater until 1944 when the City began to use water
from Salinas Reservoir. In 1943, the City pumped 1,380 acre-feet of groundwater.
Groundwater was used again during the summer of 1948, when 440 acre-feet were pumped.
In the intervening years, until 1986, most groundwater in the City was used by agriculture and
very little was used for domestic cbnsumption. As a result of the drought beginning in 1986 and
decreasing surface water supplies, the City activated groundwater wells in 1989 to meet the
City's water demand.
The principal source of groundwater for the City is the San Luis Obispo Groundwater Basin.
The basin is fifteen square miles and is drained by San Luis Obispo Creek. It extends from the
northern limits of the City and continues southerly along the alignment of the creek to just south
of Buckley Road. In the Los Osos Valley area, the basin extends four miles west to the Los
Osos Basin, which includes the community of Los Osos/Baywood Park.
City of San Luis Obispo 9
Urban Water Management .i
In 1990, .at the height of the drought, the City had seven potable wells which accounted for
approximately 50% of the water supplied during that period. The current groundwater program
uses four potable wells and two irrigation wells. Two of the City's wells, known as the Auto
Park Way and Denny's wells, were shut down in 1992 and 1993 due to elevated nitrate levels.
This is discussed in more detail in Chapter 4.
ration
Operation and maintenance of the groundwater wells for the City is provided by the Water
treatment plant staff. The well sites require daily inspections, at a minimum, to ensure proper
operation of the facilities. Each site includes pumps, valves, meters and other related
appurtenances, as well as necessary chlorine metering equipment for proper disinfection as
required by the State Department of Health Services. Monthly production rates and biweekly
water levels are recorded and maintained by staff.
The Auto Park Way well required the use of granular activated carbon ("GAC")absorption tanks
for the removal of tetrachloroethylene ("PCE") which has contaminated the groundwater in the
area of this well. Operation and maintenance of the GAC treatment facility required more staff
time than the other well sites. Elevated nitrate levels in excess of the State's regulations
required the discontinuance of the well's use in October 1992. The Denny's well on Calle
Joaquin was taken out of service in June 1993 due to increasing nitrate contamination.
Operation and Maintenance Evaluation
The operation and maintenance of City wells are adequately handled by the existing personnel
at the Water Treatment Plant. No increase in staff is anticipated in the near future.
Recommended System Improvements
There are several options for reducing maintenance and operating costs. One option is the
installation of variable frequency drive pumps, which could reduce energy consumption and
electrical bills for. pumping water. This option should be implemented if analysis reveals a
favorable cost benefit ratio.
Treatment options for the nitrate contamination at Auto Park Way well will be presented to
Council upon completion of the evaluation of alternatives. Treatment of groundwater is
recommended as a viable, cost effective source of supply. Re-establishment of the Auto Park
Way well will ensure that minimum safe annual yield projections of groundwater are realized.
2-43
10 City of San Luis Obispo
CHAPTER 2
WATER POLICY
Introduction
This chapter addresses the water policy elements required to ensure that adequate supplies of
water are available to meet both current and projected future water demand for the City of San
Luis Obispo. Because of the length and complexity of the policies, a summary of all the policy
statements contained in this Plan is presented in Appendix I.
2.1 SAFE ANNUAL YIELD
Policy
2.1.1 BASIS FOR PLANNING
The City will plan for future development and for water supplies based on the amount of water
which can be supplied each year, under critical drought conditions. This amount, called "safe
annual yield," will be formally adopted by the Council. The safe annual yield determination will
be revised as significant new information becomes available, and as water sources are gained
or lost. The determination will consider a staff analysis, which will recommend an amount
based on coordinated use of all water sources. Each change to safe annual yield will be
reflected in an amendment of this plan.
2.1.2 SAFE YIELD AMOUNT
The City's safe annual yield of potable water is 7,735 acre-feet, based on 7,235 acre-feet from
the coordinated operation of Salinas Reservoir and Whale Rock Reservoir, and 500 acre-feet of
groundwater.
2.1.3 GROUNDWATER
The amount of groundwater which the City will rely upon towards safe annual yield is identified
in Section 2.1.2. The City will maximize the use of groundwater in conjunction with other
available water supplies to maximize the yield and long term reliability of all water resources
and to minimize overall costs for meeting urban water demands. '1`lie;:;Cit`'< full ti� riz`""':;:::water
:A ;.;.
tevel5 at the;ve sties to de...... a vi�hether;reduction or ceSsatlon of pumping is appropriate
when dater leveV troaoh hstorsc law levels
City of San Luis Obispo 11
Urban Water Management . _An
Basis for Policy
Safe annual yield is the amount of water that can reliably be produced by the City's water supply
to meet the water demand. It is estimated by simulating the operation of the City's water supply
sources over an historical period to determine the maximum level of demand which could be met
during the most severe drought for which records are available.
The safe annual yield of an individual source of water supply is defined as the quantity of water
which can be withdrawn every year, under critical drought conditions. Safe annual yield
analyses of water supply sources are based on rainfall, evaporation and stream flow experienced
during an historical period. The City of San Luis Obispo uses a period beginning in 1943,
which covers drought periods in 1946-51, 1959-61, 1976-77, and 1986-91. The historical period
used in the latest computer analysis to determine safe annual yield extends from 1943 through
1991 and includes the most recent drought. Although future conditions are unlikely to occur in
the precise sequence and magnitudes as have occurred historically, this technique provides a
reliable estimate of the future water supply capability of the existing sources, since the long term
historical record is considered a good indicator of future conditions.
The safe annual yield gradually declines as silt accumulates in the reservoirs, thereby reducing
storage capacity. This is discussed in more detail in Section 2.5.
Current Safe Annual Yield Analysis
Prior to 1991, the "controlling drought period" for determining safe annual yield was 1946 to
1951. The adopted safe annual yield estimate of 7,235 acre-feet uses the controlling drought
period 1986 to 1991. This safe annual yield estimate was adopted by Council as part of the
1992-93 Water Operational Plan. The adopted safe annual yield from Salinas and Whale Rock
Reservoirs, including 500 acre-feet of groundwater, is 7,735 acre-feet per year.
Water Suooly Safe Annual Yield
Coordinated Operations of the Salinas 79235 acre-feet
and Whale Rock Reservoirs
Groundwater 500 acre-feet
TOTAL SAFE ANNUAL YIELD 7,735 acre-feet
Previous Safe Annual Yield Studies
Previous studies of the critical historical drought periods at Salinas and Whale Rock reservoirs
have indicated the following safe annual yields were available to the City:
3-4s
12 City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Managemen, n
Water Supply Safe Annual Yield Reference
Salinas Reservoir 4,800 acre-feet Corps of Engineers, 1977
Whale Rock Reservoir* 2,060 acre-feet Dept Water Resources, 1974
Coordinated Operation 500 acre-feet CH2M-Hill, 1985
Groundwater 500 acre-feet Water Operational Plan, 1993
TOTAL 7,860 acre-feet
*City's share of Whale Rock Reservoir safe annual yield.
Past safe annual yield analyses for the two reservoirs assumed independent operation and
historical data to the date of each report. The critical drought period for the previous studies
was 1946-51. The studies also assumed a minimum pool at Salinas and Whale Rock of 400 and
500 acre-feet respectively. "Coordinated operation" is a concerted effort to operate the two
reservoirs together for maximum yield. Since Salinas Reservoir spills more often than Whale
Rock Reservoir, due to its larger drainage area and more favorable runoff characteristics, and
has higher evaporation rates, the combined yield from the two reservoirs can be increased by
first using Salinas to meet the City's demand and then using Whale Rock as a backup source
during periods when Salinas is below minimum pool or unable to meet all of the demand. The
500 acre-feet increase in safe annual yield was a preliminary estimate of the additional yield
attributed to coordinated operations of the reservoirs identified in the 1985 report prepared by
CH2M-Hill.
In 1988, the City contracted with the engineering firm of Leedshill-Herkenhoff, Inc., to prepare
a detailed analysis of the City's water supplies and safe annual yield, based on coordinated
operation of the reservoirs. The report "Coordinated Operations Study for Salinas and Whale
Rock reservoirs" was completed in 1989. The study estimated total safe annual yield for the
City from the two reservoirs to be 9,080 acre-feet per year. Since the study period was only
to 1988 and the City was in a drought period of unknown length, this amount was never adopted
by Council. It should be emphasized that this estimate assumed that the "controlling drought
period" was 1946 to 1951 and that Whale Rock Reservoir is used only when Salinas is below
minimum pool or can not meet the monthly City demand, and does not consider limitations on
the use of Salinas water due to water quality constraints.
Following the end of the of 1986-1991 drought, staff updated the computer program created by
Leedshill-Herkenhoff to estimate the impact of the drought on safe annual yield of the reservoirs.
The analysis determined that the recent drought was the critical drought of record for the two
reservoirs, reducing the safe annual yield to 7,235 acre-feet per year as identified in the previous
section for the current safe annual yield analysis.
Groundwater Resources
The groundwater basin which underlies the City of San Luis Obispo is relatively small.
Therefore, extractions in excess of 500 acre-feet per year during extended drought periods
cannot be relied upon. Since the basin is small, it tends to fully recharge following significant
City of San Luis Obispo 13
Urban Water Managemem .n
rainfall periods. Following periods of above average rainfall, the groundwater basin may be
capable of sustaining increased extraction rates to meet City water demands. Since both Salinas
Reservoir and the groundwater basin fill up and "spill" following significant rain periods, there
is a benefit in drawing from these sources first and leaving Whale Rock Reservoir as a backup
supply. The conjunctive use of the groundwater basin and surface water supplies in this manner
will provide an effective management strategy which increases the reliability of all the resources
to meet current and future water demands.
Another benefit to maximizing groundwater use is that it typically requires minimal treatment
which reduces costs compared to surface water supplies. Even with treatment for nitrates and
PCE, the projected costs associated with that treatment show groundwater to be comparable to
other alternative future water supply projects.
347
14 City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Managemei an
2.2 WATER CONSERVATION
2.2.1 LONG-TERM WATER EFFICIENCY
The City will implement water-efficiency programs which will maintain long-term, per-capita
usage at least ten percent below the average per capita usage recorded during 1986/87. The
target amount is the long term planning amount as defined in Section 2.3.
2.2.2 SHORT-TERM WATER SHORTAGES
Short-term mandatory measures, in addition to the long-term programs, will be implemented
when the City's water supplies are projected to last three years or less based on projected water
consumption, coordinated use of all city water supply sources, and considering the drought
pattern on which safe yield is based (or response to other situations which may interrupt supply).
Basis for Policy
Water conservation was referenced as a part of the City's water management policy in 1973.
In 1985, the City adopted the Annual Water Operational Plan policy which established water
conservation as a means of extending water supplies during projected water shortages. Since
1985, many technological and philosophical changes have occurred which are proving water
conservation to be both a short term corrective measure for immediate water supply shortages
and a long term solution to water supply reliability.
Because of the experience during the drought of 1986 to 1991, the City has developed a short
term plan to deal with immediate water shortages and has recognized the importance of water
efficiency by supporting long term programs. The City will reevaluate and update its water
conservation efforts in response to changing water demand, supplies, technology and economic
conditions.
City of San Luis Obispo 15
Urban Water Management , .�,i
2.3 WATER DEMAND PROJECTIONS
Poli
2.3.1 BASIS OF PROJECTIONS
The City will project water requirements, considering long-term conditions and the full range
of water uses in the City. Separate projections of potable and nonpotable requirements will be
made.
2.3.2 WATER USE RATE
The City shall use 165 gallons per person per day (this equates to approximately 0.185 acre-foot
per person per year) and the number of City residents to plan total projected future water
demand. This quantity will be revised if warranted by long-term water use trends, including
differences in the relationship between residential and nonresidential usage. (Throughout this
Plan, 165 gallons per person per day is used in computations of future water demand.)
2.3.3 OVERALL PROJECTED DEMAND
Applying 165 gallons per person per day (0.185 acre-foot per person per year) to a projected
City resident population of 56,000 at General Plan build-out results in a projected water demand
of 10,350 acre-feet per year (excluding demands from the Cal Poly campus, which has separate
entitlements).
2.3.4 PRESENT WATER DEMAND
Present water demand shall be calculated by multiplying the water use identified in Section 2.3.2
by the current city population (as determined by the California Department of Finance,
Population Research Unit).
Basis for Poh
The City must know how much water will be needed to serve residents, businesses, and other
users to accommodate the General Plan. This quantity can be projected using different methods.
All methods involve assumptions about both future usage rates and the numbers and types of
users expected in the future. The quantity expressed in the policy above corresponds closely
with both (1) total city-wide usage compared with total resident population and (2) projections
of water demand based on usage by various land use categories. There always will be some
uncertainty in estimating development capacity (such as the number of dwellings or residents)
as well as the usage per customer type (such as acre-feet per dwelling or per resident.) The
estimating method must use reasonable assumptions, based on experience, to assure an adequate
level of water supply while not overstating demands.
3-¢?
16 City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Managemer In
due to actual differences in consumption over time and to confusion about accounting for Cal
Poly usage. (The City treats and delivers much of the water used by Cal Poly, even though Cal
Poly has separate entitlements.) Table 2.3.4 shows recent water usage compared with City
resident population. Table 2.3.5 compares the "per capita" and "land use" methods of
estimating water needs.
CITY WATER USE 1980-1993
Water from Total City
WTP and Wells Water Demand Population Total City
Year (A.F.)[11 (A.F.) (21 14) GPC/Day GPC/Day
1980 61745 6,145 34,252 176 160
1981 6,942 6,342 34,759 178 163
1982 6,579 5,979 35,239 167 151
1983 6,766 6,166 35,660 169 154
1984 7,437 6,837 36,407 182 168
1985 8,095 7,495 37,378 193 179
1986 8,382 7,782 38,205 196 182
1987 8,397 7,797 38,282 196 182
1988 8,413 7,813 39,858 188 175
I 3)
1989 5,933 5,333 41,027 129 116
1990 4792 4,192 41,958 102 89
1991 4,636 4,036 42,178 98 85
1992 5,304 4,704 42,922 110 98
1993 • 5,581 4,981 43,415 115 102
(1) Includes Cal Poly potable water.
(2) Cal Poly water use assumed constant for this period (600 acre feet/year).
(3) The lines denoting the 1989 to 1991 block of years indicate
mandatory rationing.
(41 January 1 population estimates - California Department of Finance, Population
Research Unit, as revised through 1993.
Table 2.3.4 City Water Use 1980-1993
City of San Luis Obispo 17
Urban Water Management -_.n
PER CAPITA WATER USE
Method 1: Water Treatment Plant Production and Population Method 2: Metered Use by Development Type and Land Use Element
Per Capita Water Use-Based on Historic Demand,Population and Conservation Per Capita Water Use-Based on Land Use,Historic Demand and Conservation
Annual Demand 1887-rear highest uss 8,397 acre feet Type of SFResid 4,033 acre feet
Land Use— MFRsad 2.926
General Plan Retail Comm 469
Less Cal Poly Subtract SM ase last from total, 7,797 acre feet Buildout office 437
based on average demand (1992 Hearing Draft) Svc Industry 487
motel/Hotel 675
Hosp.Schools,Perks 1,591
Per Capita Use Convert to gaumo and 182 gellone/day Total Acre Fast (1) 10,618 acre feet
divide by 365. Divide
by Dept of Franca
population estimate 138.2821. Per Capita Use Convert to gallons and 169 gallons/day
divide by 365. Divide
Less 10%long- Subtract lox. 164 gallons/day by estimated ewod.out
term conservation population 06.00M
Excludes Cal Poly Poo.
(1) land Use rates include 10%long term conservation compared to pre-1987 use
Table 2.3.5 Two Methods to Derive Per Capita Estimate
Based on the analysis of these two approaches, 165 gallons per day per person was used
throughout this Plan for long term water supply planning purposes.
CALCULATION OF CURRENT WATER DEFICIT
USING 165 GALLONS PER PERSON PER DAY AS A PLANNING NUMBER
Current Demand
Gallons per City Gallons Per Days in
Person per Day Population Acre-Foot Year
165 X 43,415 X 1 acre-foot X 365 = 8,024 acre-feet
325,851 gal.
Current Safe Annual Yield (7,735) acre-feet
Estimate of Current Deficit 289 acre-feet
18 City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Managemea in
2.4 RELIABILITY RESERVE
Po '
In seeking and accounting for new water supplies, the City will strive for a "reliability reserve"
of 2,000 acre-feet safe annual yield (about 20 percent of projected future water demand at full
build-out).
Basis for Policy
The concept of "reliability reserve" for long range water planning was presented to the City
Council in 1990. At that time, the City was in the midst of an extreme drought and was
considering building a desalination plant to meet projected short term water supply deficits. This
reserve is intended to maintain adequate City water supplies during unpredictable changes such
as a new worst case drought, loss of one of the City's water sources, or contamination of a
source, and not to allow additional development.
Originally, California water law was created to provide certainty in water supply for individuals
or agencies using a source. However, changing water laws now provide little certainty for
planning future supplies. Recent decisions requiring additional downstream releases for
environmental protection purposes, such as those affecting Mono Lake and the Sacramento-San
Joaquin Delta, have shown that the impacts on all users associated with water supply projects
sometimes must be addressed.
The City's water supply sources may also be jeopardized by water quality and drought
conditions. Contamination or new requirements for water treatment could reduce the available
supply to the City for an extended period. Also, current safe annual yield estimates for Salinas
and Whale Rock reservoirs are based on historical data since 1943. The recent drought of 1986-
1991 is the controlling period for safe annual yield calculations. If there is a future drought
more extreme than this period, the safe annual yield of the reservoirs will likely be reduced.
These uncertainties prompted the Council to establish a reliability reserve of 2,000 acre-feet to
protect the City from water shortages in the future (March 3, 1993, Resolution No. 8135). The
reserve will not guarantee that the City will never experience water shortages in the future, but
will reduce the impacts associated with reductions in available supplies.
3-t5A
City of San Luis Obispo 19
Urban Water Management .t
2.5 SILTATION AT SALINAS AND WHALE ROCK RESERVOIRS
Po
The City shall develop 500 acre-feet safe annual yield to account for the loss of water storage
capacity due to siltation at Whale Rock and Salinas reservoirs to the year 2025.
Basis for Polio
Siltation at reservoirs is a natural occurrence which can substantially reduce the storage capacity
over long periods. The reduction of available storage will reduce the safe annual yield of the
reservoirs. Siltation at reservoirs varies depending on factors such as rainfall intensity and
watershed management practices. There have been numerous reports addressing siltation at
Salinas reservoir, but no studies have been done for Whale Rock reservoir.
Table 2.5.1 lists the studies for Salinas reservoir and the estimated storage capacities. During
the recent drought, water at Salinas reservoir fell to record low levels. Recognizing the unique
opportunity presented by the low water level, the County contracted with a local engineering
consultant to provide an aerial survey of the lake and prepare revised storage capacity
information. The latest information reveals that the survey conducted in 1975 may have over
estimated the siltation rate at the reservoir. Early studies indicated average annual siltation rates
from 23 acre-feet per year to 34 acre-feet per year. The study done by the U.S. Geological
Survey in 1975 estimated that the siltation rate was approximately 82 acre-feet per year. The
latest information indicates that the siltation rate is on the order of 40 acre-feet per year.
SAUNAS RESERVOIR CAPACITY STUDIES
Since Whale
Rock is used as TOTAL USABLE AVG ANNUAL LOSS
a backup supply YEAR AGENCY CAPACITY CAPACITY USABLE CAPACITY
for the City, it Acre feet Awe feet Ace feetNew
may_. be many
ears until the 1941 U.S.Army ".800 26,000 -
y 1947 U.S.Soil Conservation Svc 25,860 23.3
lake level drops 1953 U.S.Soil Conservation Svc, 25,590 34.2
to the point and U-.S. Forest Service.
1975 U.S. Goological.Survey 41,400 23,200 82.4
where an aerial 1990 County of Sari Luis Obispo 41,791 24,035:. 40..1
survey of
siltation Can be Usable capacities:are shown at the 1;301:0-foot spillway elevation because the usable..
economically .:meati acthe.1;3003-foot elevation fouthe 1947:and 1953 studies>could:nct:bs
performed . accurately:determined. Usable capacity-at the 1;300.7-foot:elevation for the 1941
survey:was determined to be 25,800 awe-feet and for the 1975 survey was 23,600
S i n c e n o acre-feet:
information is
available to Table 2.5.1 Salinas Reservoir Capacity Studies
indicate what
rate of siltation is occurring at the Whale Rock reservoir, it is assumed for planning that the
annual average rate of siltation is similar to Salinas reservoir. The reliability reserve discussed
in Section 2.4 can offset the additional long term loss. 3-53
20 City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Manageme< in
The safe annual yield from the two reservoirs will be continually reduced as a result of siltation.
The key items which need to be assumed to estimate reduction in safe annual yield are the
average annual siltation rate and the future date for the estimate. If the future date is assumed
to be the year 2025, then a certain loss in safe annual yield can be calculated using the City's
computer model.
Since the storage capacity for Salinas reservoir was last estimated in 1990, the annual loss of
40 acre-feet per year can be applied from that date. However, since Whale Rock reservoir's
siltation has never been factored into the total available water storage, the loss of 40 acre-feet
per year would apply to the period since the reservoir was constructed in 1961.
SAFE ANNUAL YIELD REDUCTION
DUE TO SILTATION
Reduction'of Combined Reservoir Yield (A.F.Y.)
-200 rA1 a iP, ahli II Llai 1p yll r K I1
if W III II!Li II 1 II ii l � Ihl III III, III !I
it lilt IIII III III. LII II III I.I,!I II,!I
0,011P
.!IIIF 1 II I II III III III I II
-300 L ' 111111 IIII III IJi u II II
I L
I:: II ']A J I - IIII VIII' 41 ' "L.I I 'Ill L III IIII I ' IIII ! I�
—400 rn Ir x FI - 1
i
y II III III Illl�i 'j111 1 lid I. II ISI till 1'i ,I
iu r L v lil l Jdf II Y
=500 1 ! "' 1 LII g,
1
IJ 61
li LI, L 1111 P I r L Y
I 1 I L II I Ihl III1, I ul ,. 1 '
�1r
,m 11� (IIII ..III III III :_ lil v
Iy II I
-600
k
1 IF rII I" J j1 I I
.7
00 . I'
- 1 eno I.
i.
2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
Year
Table 2.5.2 Safe Annual Yield Reduction due to Siltation
Using a planning horizon to the year 2025, there will be an estimated loss of storage capacity
at Salinas and Whale Rock reservoirs of 1,400 of and 2,560 of respectively. Based on this
storage capacity reduction, there will be an estimated reduction in the City's safe annual yield
of 500 af. The results of the analysis are shown in Table 2.5.2. This loss in yield needs to be
taken into account when determining if the City has adequate water supplies to meet future water
demand. Future water supply projects will need to make up for this loss in safe annual yield.
3�-
City of San Luis Obispo 21
Urban Water Management ...,n
2.6 SUPPLEMENTAL WATER REQUIREMENTS
Pok y
The City shall develop additional water supplies to meet the projected demand at build-out of
the City's General Plan. The supplemental water supply amount shall be based on land use
assessment and the adopted per capita water use figure identified for planning purposes in
Section 2.3.
Basis, or Polies
Based on the draft Land Use Element endorsed by the City Council in February 1992 and a per
capita use rate of 165 gallons per person per day (Section 2.3), the projected total amount of
water for the City to serve General Plan build-out is 12,350 acre-feet (af). This figure includes
the 2,000 acre-feet reliability reserve. Table 2.6.1 shows the build-out water requirement,
reliability reserve, siltation loss, and the resulting supplemental water requirement necessary to
meet projected City water demand.
NERAL PLAN BUILD-OUT
SUPPLEMENTAL WATER REQUIREMENT .
Water to serve General Plan buildout
(165.gal/person/day X 56,000) 10,350 of
Reliability Reserve 2.000
TOTAL WATER REQUIREMENT 12,350 of
1993 Safe Annual Yield 7,735 of
Siltation Reduction WOM
CURRENT WATER SUPPLY 7,235 of
SUPPLEMENTAL WATER REQUIREMENT
(12,350 if - 7,235 afl 5,115 of
Table 2.6.1 Supplemental Water Required for
General Plan Build-Out
3 'SS
City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Management a
2.7 MULTI-SOURCE WATER SUPPLY
Policv
The City shall continue to develop and use water resources projects to maintain multi-source
water supplies, and in this manner, reduce reliance on any one source of water supply and
increase its supply options in future droughts or other water supply emergencies.
Basis for Polio
Having several sources of water can avoid dependence on one source that would not be available
during a drought or other water supply reduction or emergency. There may be greater reliability
and flexibility if sources are of different types (such as surface water and ground water) and if
the sources of one type are in different locations (such as reservoirs in .different watersheds).
The Water Element of the General Plan, adopted in 1987, identified multiple water projects to
meet projected short and long term water demand. Again in November 1990, the Council
endorsed the multi-source concept.
City of San Luis Obispo 23
Urban Water Management .,an
2.8 ALLOCATION OF NEW WATER SUPPLIES
Po
2.8.1 BALANCING SAFE YIELD AND OVERALL DEMAND
When new water sources are obtained, the additional safe yield shall be allocated first to
eliminate the deficit between the adopted safe annual yield (Section 2.1) and the present demand
as defined in Section 2.3.4 at the time the new source is obtained.
2.8.2 DEVELOPMENT AND RELIABILITY RESERVE
Any additional safe annual yield beyond that needed to balance safe annual yield and present
demand will be allocated (A) one-half to development and (B) one-half to the reliability reserve
and,compensating for reduced yields due to siltation.
2.8.3 ACCOUNTING FOR RECLAIMED WATER
Reclaimed water shall be accounted for as a "nonpotable" supply as identified under Section
2.10.3. Use of reclaimed water shall not be considered as a component of the City's safe annual
yield, but may affect potable water demand for potable supplies as reclaimed water use
increases.
2.8.4 PRIVATE WATER SUPPLIES
When developments are supplied by private groundwater wells, the yield of those wells will not
be counted toward the City's safe annual yield. Such yield, however, will result in the demand
for City water supplies being lower than it otherwise would be, which may necessitate
adjustments of the per capita water usage figure used to estimate overall demand.
Basis for Policy
The City has pursued numerous water supply projects over the years. These projects are
discussed in Chapter 3 of this report. This section of the document addresses allocation of these
supplies once the yields from projects are realized. The City has identified these potential uses
for new supplies:
■ Eliminating the deficit between adopted planning figures and safe annual yield;
■ Compensating for reduced yields due to reservoir siltation;
■ Establishing a reliability reserve;
■ Providing for water requirements for future development within the urban reserve area
designated in the General Plan.
Allocation of new supplies can balance the needs of all areas identified while not compounding
the potential water shortage problems for existing City water customers.
3-s7
24 City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water ManagemenL z
A major concern is the deficit between projected water usage levels and safe yield (see Section
2.1 and Section 2.3). As this deficit becomes larger, present and future water customers must
cut back more from their typical use levels during droughts or other water supply shortages.
In 1993, this deficit is about 289 acre-feet, considering a long-term usage rate of 165 gallons
per day per City resident, the 1993 City resident population, and a safe yield of 7,735 acre-feet.
Once the City's water supply deficit has been "balanced", half of the identified safe annual yield
from new water supply projects should go toward offsetting the siltation deficit and establishment
of the "reliability reserve" and the other half should be designated for development purposes.
By following these guidelines, the certainty of water supplies for all City water customers will
be increased while still allowing for additional development.
The reliability reserve is like an insurance policy (Section 2.4). Some added yield can be
assigned to the reserve rather than other desired uses, to help assure that the City will have
enough water despite unforeseen losses of supplies. However, there are costs of buying this
insurance, both in higher charges for water customers and in foregone uses for the added yield.
Considering these costs, it would be prudent to build the reserve in steps rather than commit a
very large part of the City's water resources at one time. Using the comparison of buying
insurance, the City will make several payments over time rather than one big payment initially,
evaluating the level of risk and the desired amount of reserve as years go by.
3-58
City of San Luis Obispo 25
Urban Water Management . ..Ln
2.9 WATER ALLOCATION AND OFFSETS
P�
2.9.1 SUPPLYING NEW DEVELOPMENT
The City will make available to new development only that amount of safe yield which exceeds
present water use (Section 2.3.4); less the amount to compensate for siltation losses (as stated
in Section 2.5) and to provide a reliability reserve (as stated in Section 2.4). Available
allocations will be assigned to development in a way that supports balanced growth, consistent
with the General Plan.
2.9.2 E%E11=ONS FOR OFFSETS
A. When there is no safe yield to allocate to a project, that project may be built if the developer
makes changes, in facilities served by the City, which will reduce long-term water usage
equal to the allocation required for the project.
B. The City may exempt a project from needing an allocation or an offset, or it may reduce the
amount of the required allocation or offset, to the extent that the project is supplied by a
suitable, private well which will not significantly affect the yield of City wells. The City
will consider the cumulative effect of wells in the groundwater basin in making this
determination.
2.9.3 BASIS FOR ALLOCATIONS AND OFFSETS
Required allocations and offsets will be based on long-term usage for each type of development.
(These use and offset factors will be determined and published by the City, and may be revised
as warranted by new information.)
Basis for Polio
In 1988, the City began to formally account for long-term water usage in new development.
The allocations have been based on histories of water usage for various kinds of development.
At first, the City.decided to allocate some water for new land development projects even though
city-wide water usage exceeded safe yield. As the 1986-1991 drought continued, and the
projected completion of proposed supplemental supply projects moved farther into the future,
the City decided that there should be no new development that would increase water usage. As
a result, nearly all construction since 1990 has been:
■ Replacement buildings, using the same or less water;
■ Additions or remodels which do not substantially affect water usage;
3-meq
26 City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Managemen in
■ Projects which have retrofitted facilities served by the City, to save (offset) twice the amount
of water which would be allocated to the project. Installation of low-flow toilets,
showerheads, and faucets have accounted for most of the offset credit. Substantial credits
were also earned by installing water recycling equipment in businesses.
Also, a few relatively small projects were able to do little or no retrofitting because they were
supplied with groundwater through private wells. Some projects have utilized more than one
of these strategies to proceed despite the lack of water allocations.
Until available safe annual yield exceeds long-term demand (per Section 2.3), the City will have
no water to allocate to new development. Many facilities have been retrofitted (as of 1993,
about 26% of all potential facilities). Retrofitting has helped reduce total water usage.
A two-to-one offset ratio was established due to the uncertainty of savings factors initially used.
Now, a comprehensive toilet replacement study completed in June 1992 by the Metropolitan
Water District of Southern California indicates the water savings factors used by the City are
accurate. The study analyzed 23,000 dwellings and documented water savings associated with
toilet retrofitting. This study is now used state-wide as a basis for water savings associated with
toilet retrofit programs. Requiring an offset-to-allocation ratio greater than one-to-one means
that long-term water use will decline even as development occurs. Also, requiring a ratio much
greater than one-to-one makes projects less feasible and raises questions of equity.
An offset ratio of one-to-one would be consistent with the policies of this plan, because:
■ The long-term usage factors used to determine the required offset amounts generally reflect
usage in projects built several years before the 1986-91 drought, when toilets and
landscaping were less efficient than those installed under 1993 standards;
■ Retrofitting which does not receive development credit (all rebates and many additions and
remodels) will continue to produce net savings.
City of San Luis Obispo 27
Urban Water Management .an
2.10 RECLAIMED WATER
P�
2.10.1 RECLAEMM WATER QUALITY
The City will produce high quality reclaimed water, suitable for a wide range of nonpotable
uses.
2.10.2 USES OF RECLAIMED WATER
The'City will dedicate to San Luis Obispo Creek one cubic foot per second of reclaimed water
for aquatic and riparian habitats. The City will make available reclaimed water to substitute for
existing potable water uses and to supply new nonpotable uses.
2.10.3 ACCOUNTING FOR RECLAIMED WATER
As reclaimed water supplies new development or substitutes for potable water in existing
development, reliable yield of nonpotable water will be increased. Reclaimed water will be
credited to non-potable reliable yield not when it is potentially available at the treatment plant,
but when it is actually available to a user upon the completion of the necessary distribution
facilities.
2.10.4 CITY RECLAIMED WATER PROJECTS
When the City provides distribution facilities that allow substitution of reclaimed water for
potable water, the resulting reduction in potable water demand will be given offset credit for
government projects (including new City parks or buildings), under any policies or rules limiting
the amount of water which can be allocated to development.projects.
2.10.5 PRIVATE RECLAIMED WATER PROJECTS
A. When a developer of a private project provides distribution facilities that allow substitution
of reclaimed water in facilities that have used potable City water, the resulting reduction in
potable water demand will be credited to any allocation of potable water needed for the
developer's project, at a one-to-one ratio, similar to the offset credit.
B. When a developer of a private project provides distribution facilities that allow use of
reclaimed water in that project, anyrequired potable water allocation for that project shall
be reduced by a corresponding amount.
2.10.6 COMBINED RECLAIMED WATER PROJECTS
When a component of the reclaimed water distribution system is funded in part by the City and
in part by a private developer, the credit for reduction in potable water usage resulting from that
3-b/.
28 City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Managemet, an
component shall be divided in a proportionate share between the City and the developer based
on the respective contribution to the component.
Basis for Loh
Reclaimed water is highly treated•wastewater (sewage) which can be used for most nonpotable
purposes. The City's Water Reclamation Facility(formerly known as the Wastewater Treatment
Plant) has been upgraded to the point the effluent can be used directly for landscape and
agricultural irrigation and other uses such as industrial processes and toilet flushing in certain
types of buildings.
Most treated effluent, in the past, has been discharged to San Luis Obispo Creek. A small
amount of effluent has been used at the treatment plant site for landscape irrigation. Reclaimed
water will be used for additional landscape irrigation at the Water Reclamation Facility and on
City-owned land in the vicinity, and for ponds to benefit wildlife.
Use of reclaimed water beyond the treatment plant area will require a distribution system
separate from other water lines. Reclaimed water can be used to supply nonpotable uses in new
development and to offset potable uses in existing development. These potential uses require
a deliberate method to account for reclaimed water use, consistent with policies concerning total
water requirements and other water sources.
Long-term funding for the necessary reclaimed water distribution system is expected to come
from charges for the use of reclaimed water. Initial expenses may be funded from bonds, low-
interest State loans, and developer contributions.
City of San Luis Obispo 29
Urban Water Management . -a
2.11 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN - Water Distribution
Policv
The City shall replace aging waterlines at the yearly rate of 2% of the replacement value of the
water distribution system (about $1.5 million annually in 1993 dollars).
Basis for Poffa
Growth within the city has placed increased demands on the water distribution system. Many
pipes throughout the City are over 100 years old, and are too small to meet current fire-flow
requirements. Even without growth or fire protection requirements, deteriorated pipes must be
replaced to avoid leaks and major service disruptions. Historically, the City has not funded
distribution system replacement sufficiently to ensure replacement prior to reaching the end of
the infrastructure's service life. Therefore, the system has deteriorated, causing frequent water
main breaks.
This problem was partially addressed several years ago during the budget process when funding
for annual replacement of waterlines was increased to $600,000 (based on an average
replacement rate of about 2% and a 50 year life) for an estimated 150 miles of pipelines.
Within the past several years, staff has developed a computer data base which includes all
pipelines within the City, to facilitate scheduled maintenance and access to historical
information. Following input of all the pipeline sections, the data base revealed that there are
actually 290 miles of mains (excluding service laterals) with an estimated replacement value of
$75,000,000. Therefore, replacing 2% of the infrastructure annually would require about
$1,500,000 per year in 1993 dollars.
Since funding has not been adequate, the system has deteriorated to the point that funding
beyond the 2% level may be warranted in the future.
3-63
30 City of San Luis Obispo
CHAPTER 3
SUPPLEMENTAL WATER SUPPLY PROJECTS
WATER SUPPLY SOURCES
P�
The City shall pursue the expansion of the Salinas reservoir, the Nacimiento Reservoir Diversion
project, water reuse and water demand management activities as supplemental water supply
sources to meet current and projected future water demand. Other water supply projects shall
be considered in the future if warranted.
3.1 SALINAS RESERVOIR EXPANSION PROJECT
Introduction
The Salinas Reservoir (also known as Santa Margarita Lake) was constructed in 1941. The
original design of the dam included operable spillway gates which would have increased the
maximum water surface elevation at the spillway crest from 1,300.74 to approximately 1,320.0
feet. Because of uncertainties at the time of construction, the spillway gates were never
installed. The Salinas Reservoir expansion project would involve the installation of gates which
would result in an increase of available storage capacity from 23,843 acre-feet (af) to 41,790 of
with an increase of an estimated 1,650 acre-feet per year of safe annual yield.
Background
The Salinas Dam was constructed by the War Department (now U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)
in 1941 to provide water to Camp San Luis Obispo and the City of San Luis Obispo. The Corps
of Engineers filed and received an application to appropriate water from the Salinas River with
the Division of Water Resources (now State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water
Rights) on May 27, 1941. The City of San Luis Obispo filed and received an identical permit
on June 4, 1941. The City's right to appropriate water for beneficial use is second in time and
right to the Corps permit. Both permits allow a direct diversion of up to 12.4 cubic feet per
second (cfs) between January l' and December 31" and a diversion to storage for later use of
up to 45,000 A.F. between November 1" and June 301 of each season. There is also a third
application to appropriate water from the Salinas River filed by San Luis Obispo County
Waterworks District No. 6 which serves the town of Santa Margarita. This permit was filed on
February 26, 1947 and allows for 1.5 cfs by direct diversion all year round and up to 200 A.F.
diverted to storage during the period from November 11 and June 301 of each season. Since this
permit was filed after the Corps and City's permits, it is junior to the rights of the other permits.
City of San Luis Obispo V31�
Urban Water Management r,an
The original construction plans for the dam included the installation of an operable spillway gate
to provide an estimated storage capacity of approximately 45,000 acre-feet. During the "fast
track" construction of the dam, a small fault was discovered beneath the right abutment (right
side of dam, looking downstream). There was concern at the time for the dam stability and
therefore the gates were not installed. As a historical note, the spillway gates intended for the
Salinas Dam were installed at Friant Dam in the foothills above Fresno.
Studies
The Phase I report for "Salinas Reservoir Expansion Project" was completed in February 1989
by Woodward-Clyde Consultants. Part I of the report provided geotechnical, seismicity, and
dam safety evaluation. Part II analyzed the hydrology, reservoir yield, and an evaluation of
alternatives. The outcome of the analysis revealed that the dam was strong enough to withstand
a major earthquake (7.4 magnitude) on the nearby Rinconada Fault without failing or causing
a sudden release of water from the reservoir. The analysis also found that raising the dam 19
feet would produce an additional 1,650 acre-feet per year of safe annual yield from the
reservoir.
The firm of Woodward-Clyde Consultants was retained by the City in March of 1992 to prepare
the environmental impact report for the proposed Salinas Reservoir Expansion Project. Detailed
evaluation of the impacts associated with the raising of the maximum water surface elevation
revealed major impacts to the recreational facilities and roadways at the lake. It was determined
that a detailed recreational relocation plan was necessary to allow for the evaluation of the
impacts associated with this work to be addressed in the EIR. The conceptual recreation
relocation plan has been completed to the satisfaction of County Parks staff and the draft EIR
was released in November 1993. Council certification of the final EIR is tentatively scheduled
for March 1994.
The EIR represents one of the two major hurdles that need to be crossed prior to proceeding
with the project. The second issue relates to the ownership of the Salinas Dam and related
facilities. The Corps of Engineers currently owns the dam and property surrounding the lake.
Since the facilities are not utilized to supply water to Camp San Luis Obispo, the Corps has
expressed interest for many years in relinquishing ownership of the facilities. The Corps has
indicated that they will not allow the expansion project to proceed unless ownership is
transferred to a local agency. The discussions concerning which local agency, either the City
or County of San Luis Obispo, should ultimately own the facilities has been debated for many
years. On November 17, 1992, the City Council supported the ownership transfer to the County
of San Luis Obispo, provided an acceptable agreement could be prepared which protects the.
City's interests in the facilities. City and County staff have been working closely to develop an
agreement acceptable to both parties.
Project Schedule
Following certification of the EIR and agreement on the transfer of ownership in the facilities,
there are a number of additional steps which will have to be accomplished prior to proceeding
3-65
32 City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Manageme, an
with construction. The items are listed in Table 3.1 with estimated time frames necessary to
accomplish each task.
Task Time frame
t' Ownership:.Transfen.
Legislation;Allowing:Transfer -:1 year:
Studids`Necessaryfor Transfer. 6 months
2.: Permitting/Design, 1 year;':. .
>3..:.Construction. . : . 1:year:.:
Table 3.1 Salinas Reservoir Expansion Project Schedule
Project Cost
Salinas Reservoir Expansion
Studies $ 480,000
Design/Ownership Transfer 1,300,000
Construction 8.000.000
Total $9,780,000
City of San Luis Obispo 33
Urban Water Management ..an
3.2 NACE IIENTO PROJECT
Introduction
San Luis Obispo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District ("District") has an
entitlement of 17,500 acre-feet per year of water from Nacimiento Reservoir. Boyle
Engineering was hired by the District to study the feasibility and make recommendations
regarding the transportation and use of this water. The City of San Luis Obispo requested an
allocation of 5,110 acre-feet from the Nacimiento project.
Background
Nacimiento Reservoir is located in San Luis Obispo County on the Nacimiento River about 12
miles above its confluence with the Salinas River. The reservoir provides flood protection and
is a source of supply for groundwater recharge for the Salinas River Valley. The dam is owned
and operated by Monterey County Flood Control and Water Conservation District. Although
Monterey County retains a majority of the water rights to the reservoir, San Luis Obispo County
is entitled to 17,500 acre-feet of water annually. Approximately 1,300 acre-feet per year have
been designated for use around the lake, leaving 16,200 acre-feet per year for allocation to other
areas within the County of San Luis Obispo.
The District contracted with Boyle Engineering to provide engineering services for an evaluation
of the Nacimiento project. The District requested that agencies interested in future participation
in the Nacimiento project share in the costs associated with the preliminary studies. The agency
costs are proportional to the allocation requests. Asking the agencies to share in the cost of the
preliminary studies was intended to limit unrealistic requests. Among other requirements
established to limit allocation requests, each agency must show consistency with their approved
general plan.
The:>?rl�mutary Evaltiadon, aPPraYed 6y the Board of 5uperwtsars an Ianuary 2S,'< 994, i�sted
purveyor alldeatton requests tfltailittg 25,5{9 acre•#eet}ter,year This was neazly ........ Percent
greata;r than the 16,200 acre-feet available Both Cflunty Service Area Na 22 an the hero
Lam mater CatYtpany requested an allocatton'of Nacsmenta water The Cxty's request mciuied
watdr pix serve;these meas, suite they are wit}un the pity's UTbats Reserve Line and;designate
for eventual atnexaticsrs. These "rlaiible strbscaiPtiots" and: adaustapents 14 agency allotot
A.
uest5 are t Esc resuived aS thtrt Jk mopes forward.
Several alignment and treatment options are considered in the study prepared by Boyle
Engineering. Two alternatives involve use of Nacimiento water in the North San Luis Obispo
County and the City of San Luis Obispo only. This water would be delivered either raw or
treated at a regional water treatment plant near Lake Nacimiento. The North County alternatives
would deliver water to purveyors along the 101 Freeway corridor to the City of San Luis
Obispo. A third alternative would deliver treated water to Chorro Valley as well as the North
County. The Chorro Valley turnout would provide water to coastal purveyors to the west. The
fourth alternative includes delivery of treated water to the North County, Chorro Valley, and
to coastal and inland purveyors to the south.
3-67
34 City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Managemen, .n
Studies
Phase I of the Boyle Engineering study involved an evaluation of the reliability of the
Nacimiento Project to deliver water at a maximum amount of 17,500 acre-feet per year. Phase
I was completed and presented to the County Board of Supervisors in December 1992. At the
December meeting, the Board also approved proceeding with Phase II of the feasibility study.
The results of the reliability assessment concluded that the Nacimiento Project can deliver 17,500
acre-feet per year based on historic hydrologic data. The analysis indicated a number of months
during the most recent drought when deliveries would have been reduced. However, deliveries
from subsequent months could be increased to make up for the reductions resulting in total
deliveries of 17,500 acre-feet for the year.
Phase II of.the study provides a preliminary engineering evaluation, a geotechnical study, and
initial environmental review. The purpose of Phase II is to analyze and determine the best
pipeline alignments, to determine facility requirements, estimate costs, and to determine probable
environmental impacts. The draft reports were completed by December 1993. Ofi:;Ja 2
199.94, the CQt�nty Board of'Supervts+ots met to consider the work dans by Boyle I=ngineerutg
The Board accepted the Prelutinary Evaluation for Che Nactmiento WaWriSappiy lE'rojectr Phase
I�, a�oiig with its Pr+�lm�ary Bnguteenng Evaluation attd �ttvaranmental Assessment Boyle
lyatgtttrtng was directed its proceed with fftaltzutg the report, irtectrporatng and addressirt
eomterttsy t1�e purveyors'and by tndt�tdual )hoard;members
Project Cost
Participation in Phase I of the preliminary study and evaluation cost the City $3,979. Phase II
cost $43,457 and Phase III cost $8,425. The total cost for participation in the preliminary study
and evaluation of the Nacimiento project was $55,862.
Even with the preliminary evaluation and feasibility study complete, several steps still remain
before the project can be constructed. Preparation and certification of an Environmental Impact
Report is the next major step in the Nacimiento project. Geotechnical studies and preliminary
design will also be performed before the final determination of project participation can be
made. These items are expected to cost $1,200,000. This equates to a cost of approximately
$75 per acre-foot of water requested for the feasibility/study stage alone. The City's share of
these costs will be about$385,000. A separate participation agreement will be prepared for this
phase of the project.
Once those studies are performed and the final participation in the project is determined, final
design of the facilities and project financing can be prepared. Another participation agreement
will be required for this phase. The total cost of the final design is expected to be around $1
to $2 million, depending on which treatment and alignment alternative is selected. The City will
be required to pay its prorated share of these costs.
The remainder of the .project involves the construction of the pipeline, related facilities, and
treatment plant(s). The construction will be debt-financed and the costs paid for through the
3-69
City of San Luis Obispo 35
Urban Water Management
Water pricing: Preliminary estimates indicate the:cost of Nacimiento water to be approximately
$900 to $1,100 per acre-foot in 1993 dollars for the City of San.Luis Obispo, depending on the
treatment and alignment alternative that is ultimately chosen..
k
3-(oQ
36 City of'San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Managemer. in
3.3 WATER REUSE
Introduction
Reuse of the highly treated water produced by the City's Water Reclamation Facility is a drought
resistant portion of the City of San Luis Obispo's multi-source water plan. It is estimated that
50% of water used in the City is used for purposes where non-potable water would be adequate.
Recycled water has not been used by the City due to its low quality, regulatory constraints,
public acceptance, and cost of distribution. Increased demand for water and recent
improvements to the treatment process make it feasible to consider reuse as a source of water
for non-potable demands. Reclaimed water may be used for:
■ Irrigating parks, school yards, golf courses, and residential yards,
Washing cars, mixing concrete, compacting soil and controlling dust,
■ Process and cooling water for industrial applications,
■ Fire protection.
The objectives of the San Luis Obispo water reuse project are to:
1. Develop a dependable water supply that will meet non-potable demand,
2. Improve the water quality of San Luis Obispo Creek,
3. Comply with the Federal Clean Water Act and California Inland Surface Water Plan,
4. Efficiently manage the water resources of the City of San Luis Obispo.
Background
The Water Reclamation Facility produces approximately 4,000 acre-feet of disinfected tertiary
treated reclaimed water per year. This water is suitable for most uses other than drinking and
food preparation. Production is at a consistent rate of 5.5 cubic feet per second or 3.6 million
gallons per day. The City proposes to dedicate a release of 1.0 cubic foot per second to the
maintenance and enhancement of the in-stream habitat of San Luis Obispo Creek (720 acre-feet
per year). Since most of the recycled water will be used for irrigation, only 1,830 of the
remaining 3,280 acre-feet will actually be useable because of seasonal fluctuations in water
demand for irrigation (see Figure 2). Demand for irrigation water is very limited during the
winter. The City does not plan to construct seasonal storage.
The City conducted a survey in August, 1991, to determine the level of interest in the use of
recycled water. Several large volume irrigation users are potential customers. Ninety-five
percent of those responding to the survey were supportive of the project. The use of 1,830 acre-
feet per year of recycled water may offset the use of between 500 and 1,000 acre-feet per year
of existing potable water. The remainder could offset private groundwater use or new demands
for non-potable water. Targeted large volume users of recycled water include Cal Poly, City
and County parks, the City golf course, local schools, State of California, Department of
Transportation, and areas to be developed within the City.
3- 70
City of San Luis Obispo 37
Urban Water Management ....n
WATER REUSE PROJECT
35 TOTAL PLANT OUTPUT(4,000 AIM)
300
L
C
O
E 750
m
w
_ 200
U
IRRIGATION
(1,830 at/yr)
tt
W ISO
3
� AXIMUM TO IRRIGATION
w
100
g
U
w
2
50
DEDICATED TO SAN LUIS OBISPO CREEK
720 at/yr
0-ism I I
Jam Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Figure 2 PRODUCTION AND DEMAND - RECLAIMED WATER
Proposed Distribution System
The Water Reuse Project will construct a distribution system to deliver recycled water to large
volume customers throughout San Luis Obispo. The system will be designed for future
expansion to serve small volume users, when it becomes economically feasible to do so.
Components of the distribution system will include pump stations, water storage facilities,
treatment equipment, pipelines, and valves.
A portion of the recycled water will be discharged to San Luis Obispo Creek to support riparian
habitat. The remainder will enter the recycled water distribution system to be delivered to
customers. A pump station located near the storage pond at the Water Reclamation Facility will
pressurize the distribution system. Booster pumps are needed to provide the proper pressure
throughout the City. Initial planning calls for them to be located near the intersection of
Industrial Way and Sacramento Drive, and at the Emerson School site. Approximately 8-1/2
miles of new pipeline will be installed and approximately 2-1/2 miles of abandoned petroleum
pipelines will be converted to recycled water use. Storage will be provided by expanding the
3- !]
1
38 City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Managemei in
sedimentation ponds along Highway 101 and reactivating abandoned Reservoir IA on Fox
Hollow Road. A single six acre pond will be eight feet deep. The top two feet will provide 3.9
million gallons of short term storage without draining the pond. Reservoir IA, a concrete lined,
covered storage basin that was built in 1910, will be repaired to provide an additional 5.0
million gallons of storage.
Recycled water will be delivered to customers through a service meter near their property line.
Customers will provide and install the necessary facilities to distribute the recycled water
throughout their properties. Each user will install safety devices to ensure the proper use of
recycled water. The required safety features may include approved backflow prevention devices,
new plumbing to separate potable water from recycled water, and modification to irrigation
systems to prevent over-spray and over-watering.
Operation and Maintenance
The City's Wastewater Division will operate the Water Reclamation Facility and the water reuse
pumps and filters located at the Water Reclamation Facility. The City's Water Division will
operate and maintain the recycled water distribution system.
The City will monitor the customer's compliance with the rules and regulations established for
the safe use of recycled water.
Future Development Areas
Recycled water may be used for irrigation of residential yards with dual plumbing. It is unlikely
that it will ever be economical to install the distribution system and separate plumbing for use
of recycled water in older residential areas. Recycled water may be used in commercial and
industrial facilities for toilet flushing, cooling and rinse water, car washing, concrete mixing,
boiler water, and other uses permitted for "Disinfected Tertiary Reclaimed Water".
The most cost effective use of recycled water will be in new construction and development
where the dual distribution and plumbing systems can be built as an integral part of the original
construction. The Water Reuse Project is configured to be able:to serve those areas identified
in the General Plan Land Use Element as the principle expansion areas.
If recycled water is provided to downstream agriculture outside the city limits, it should be
delivered via a pipeline. The water could be metered for accurate billing, environmental
degradation would be lessened by keeping nutrients out of the creek, and the potential for water
theft would be minimized. Before water is delivered to downstream users, consideration should
be given to setting a termination date for each service to prevent the City from becoming
obligated to continue such services outside the City in perpetuity.
�7 A
City of San Luis Obispo 39
Urban Water Management . .an
Project Schedule
The schedule for the water reuse project is as follows:
Activit Date
*Complete project CEQA review June 1994
•Complete project engineering report December 1994
*Complete project design June 1995
•Complete project construction June 1996
Staffing Evaluation
It is proposed that the Water Distribution Maintenance and Customer Service Division be
responsible for the recycled water distribution system. Until agreements are reached for
supplying recycled water to various areas of the City, it is impossible to determine the level of
staffing which will be required to maintain the system and read the water meters. Staff will
return to Council at a future date to evaluate the options.
3-73
40 City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Managemen n
3.4 WATER DEMAND MANAGEMENT
Introduction
Water demand management practices and technology have advanced significantly in the last
several years in reaction to the drought of 1986-1991. Historically, water demand management
was viewed as an emergency response to extreme water shortage situations. As demand for
water resources increase due to growing population and agricultural needs, the importance of
using our water wisely and efficiently is imperative to assure adequate, reliable water supplies
in the future.
Background
Water demand management, or water conservation, was first referenced as a part of the City's
water management policy in the 1973 General Plan. In 1985, the City Annual Water
Operational Plan policy formally established water demand management as a means to extend
water supplies during projected water shortages. From 1988 (when an aggressive water
conservation program was implemented) to October 1993, approximately 14,400 acre-feet of
water savings can be attributed to the water efficiency programs implemented during that period.
In 1990, the City endorsed a multi-source water plan in an attempt to solve both short-term
water shortages and establish long-term solutions to the City's water needs. Because of the
difficulty in developing new water supply projects, there has bee a philosophical shift in
perception of water demand management as crisis management vehicle in 1985 to a water supply
alternative for the future.
Water Demand Management Program Direction
In September 1991, the Council approved signing the "Memorandum of Understanding" (MOU)
regarding water conservation and the implementation of the "Best Management Practices"
(BMP's). The BMP's are listed in Appendix II. This signifies a minimum ten year commitment
to implement and evaluate the water efficiency measures presented in the MOU.
Using the BMP's as a road map for future water demand management program implementation,
a balanced program of providing information and assistance to the City's water customers is
necessary to maintain the water use reductions levels required to increase the reliability of the
City's water supplies. Many valuable studies which the City could not afford to perform are
being funded and administered by the BMP signatory group, the California Urban Water
Conservation Council. These studies will have a direct benefit to the City by providing a
method to analyze water conservation programs for cost effectiveness and to quantify reliable
savings associated with specific programs.
,3'
City of San Luis Obispo 41
Urban Water Management ,.,,n
3.5 OTHER SUPPLEMENTAL WATER SUPPLY PROJECT ALTERNATIVES
3.5.1 DESALINATION
Background
In May 1990, the City was faced with the prospect of reaching minimum pool in both of its
surface water supply sources within an 18 to 20 month period. In response to the crisis, the
City embarked on a short term desalination feasibility investigation. The consulting firm of
James Montgomery Engineers was hired to prepare a study which evaluated the various
desalination methods, site options, joint venture opportunities, and financing. The project also
had termination or "Go/No-Go" date established after the 1990/91 rainy season to determine if
a change in direction was warranted due to any change in water storage resulting from winter
storms. The preliminary analysis concluded that 3,000 acre-feet per year of desalted water could
be provided by using reverse osmosis technology which was considered the most cost effective
technology at that time to meet the City's needs. The project capital cost was estimated to be
$19.5 million. The recommendation was based on capital costs, operation and maintenance
costs, decommissioning costs, aesthetics and environmental concerns. Due to the limited time
available to site the facility and build the necessary infrastructure, a tentative agreement with
PG&E was reached to locate the short-term facility at the Morro Bay power plant utilizing their
seawater intake and outfall facilities.
The "Miracle March" rains of 1991 provided adequate runoff and subsequent increased water
storage in the City's reservoirs to allow termination of the desalination project. The City
Council officially directed staff to discontinue the project on April 16, 1991.
Future Desalination Water Supply Project
Using desalted water as a future supply water source will have to be investigated independently
of the past research and study projects. Because the previously discussed desalination endeavor
.-was planned to be a short term water supply to meet a crisis situation, the cost analysis,
location, environmental review, and technological information would have to be reevaluated for
a long term project.
Desalination is a viable technology which is not rainfall dependent. The major disadvantages
of desalination are the cost, potential environmental degradation, and energy demand. When
compared to existing water supplies and other future water supply options under consideration,
desalted water is significantly more expensive at this point in time. Desalination may be a water
supply consideration in the future if other water supply project currently under review are not
accomplished. Also, advances in desalination technology in the future may reduce the costs to
a more acceptable level when compared to the cost of other water supply sources.
3.5.2 CLOUD SEEDING
The City of San Luis Obispo activated a three year cloud seeding program in January 1991 in
response to the continuing drought and limited surface water supplies at Salinas reservoir. The
42 City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Managemen n
program "targeted" the Salinas and Lopez Reservoir watersheds, and the County of San Luis
Obispo paid their prorata share of the total cost for the cloud seeding program. The City's
participation the program ended in January 1993, when the Salinas Reservoir filled to capacity
and began spilling.
Evaluations of each year's cloud seeding program were completed following each winter season.
Estimates of increased precipitation ranged from 11% to 14% for the Salinas and Lopez
Reservoir watersheds. These were substantial increases and proved to be a cost-effective means
of enhancing runoff during periods when Salinas Reservoir or Lopez lake water levels are low.
Salinas Reservoir's watershed runoff characteristics are favorable for producing significant runoff
during normal rain seasons. Therefore, cloud seeding is not viewed as an annual program but
as a program that the Council may approve following below normal rainfall years and/or periods
when significant storage is available in Salinas Reservoir to capture additional runoff. Staff will
evaluate the need for a cloud seeding program following each year's rainfall season and provide
a recommendation to Council for the next year's winter season as part of the annual Water
Operation Plan (brought to Council in the spring of each year).
3.5.3 SALINAS TO WHALE ROCK TRANSFER
The idea of transferring water which would otherwise spill downstream from Salinas reservoir
to Whale Rock Reservoir was evaluated by staff and presented to Council in 1993. Since Salinas
Reservoir spills frequently in contrast to Whale Rock Reservoir, the potential exists to transfer
significant quantities of Salinas Reservoir water (which would otherwise overtop the Salinas dam
spillway and flow downstream) to Whale Rock Reservoir. The analysis revealed numerous
obstacles and limitations, and Council directed staff to not proceed at this time with further
studies relative to this project.
................................._.............................................-.....................
S .:G Q>l1NDW
.
Grouridwa�tet recharge ustng tert;ary treated re�latrried watA.
er tnay=6e a future watex supy
altervc '1<'he grdvuattr basin from which the 0ity pumps water is relat�veiy small arrd
reclates + utcTyatlwtxr average nfa11 penods- eeattse of i}te ltmtted srorage capacity
acid2ptd recl►2rge,;tlf re rh2y be lrrited oppOrtunYtes for rech2rge;:of the gYound�vater basin:
:A
It may be pram a using reclaiM.
med water
groduCes� at the 1�ater•Keelaritativrt 1'actItty far potable water uses The Slate Department of
Health ;Ser�tces #awe;:vexy st�rtgent regulattons go�rerntng such non potable water recharge
proJeCts.; :extetts��e,an�lyszs anti study evaluating costs,. water recCrarg� pofentral and
po�€nl stQrage.t�r:rnJ�orr sites will be required before puisuuig spch a groJ
City of San Luis Obispo 43
Urban Water Management ..an
CHAPTER 4
WATER OPERATIONAL PROGRAMS
WATER OPERATIONS
Po '
The City shall sustain city-wide water efficiency programs and strive to provide an adequate
supply of high quality water which
■ meets all Federal and State standards;
■ provides uninterrupted water flow at sufficient pressures;
■ provides fire protection.
The City shall allocate funding to meet the goals and objectives presented in this chapter (also
see Chapter 5).
Introduction
The City has depended on imported water supplies from Salinas reservoir since 1944, Whale
Rock reservoir since 1961, and limited local groundwater sources since 1989. Figure 3 shows
the City's reservoir water supplies and delivery system. This chapter will describe the existing
water system, operation and maintenance procedures, and identify current and future system
deficiencies.
4.1 WATER TREATMENT
The City currently receives its water from three sources, Salinas Reservoir, Whale Rock
Reservoir, and groundwater. Over the past twenty years, surface water treatment and
groundwater treatment standards and regulations have become more stringent. With the
enactment of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) in 1974, Congress authorized the federal
government to establish national drinking water regulations. Since that time, many amendments
have been made to the act which require additional monitoring and thereby increased operational
costs. The following sections discuss the impacts of the current regulations on the City's water
treatment facilities and potential impacts of any foreseeable amendments to the current
regulations.
44 City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Managemen, a
AT SCADIRO f
_ .. Whale Rock
Reservoir
(r NCOS /'...• d. 11 • r','•,`'�."'� •r•y 1
.r..r• Iw .a-..I�rle 7'Lr ..; Ate-'' •` •, .
Rf're'RO •-s-., •r• .. ••,. �•r•a a ''�.yII• 011O(l • /••' L
lAr Whale Rock Line ���•'
••._••.[m e .,.,. I . -•
.[. 1r IIYT. .Army Line
'r . • 1• M1l GlllTI ~ .
MORRO BAY r-' < "'- -• ..w 1.UM IMIfM1 1T• qq' ..,f 1 N.n
•� '`tr— r ... ... ....�rye'• '� r�...� p ,r" --�:— .
...ur 1�MOMAO f n •n '., •..;.� ' „(•. [•J .. . 1 e� JANTA •i
•�BA 1' • I •..D - MAIGAW4
\`ems l"T 000'.. .:�•.Fui.d t.... 1 J Ale I//
L
,C
/'-- Ill[ p tia•u• _ =°,•�' - ....C..
r T.. 1••.•.•Iw. `��•- .w_•..r. , ! .w Inc . � I �.���
•�� `I. =- ,>�- 101` •[�.�r`u.i••wr
cos �` Treatment
`+ �, _.r�;•A y L Salinas
Plant
r �,•-� ':, ••,. ,... ,.� I'_•rIW ,_..1.% . ,.•,.., :+. I Reservoir
A LUIS OBISPO1,-
1.1•..rl•rF'r�•_�Ah(yls .� ..rw4•.•..... �f [ 1 / �—_ _ _.1•:
Figure 3 CITY'S WATER SUPPLY AND CONVEYANCE SYSTEM
4.1.1 SURFACE WATER
Background
.The City of San Luis Obispo depends on surface water to meet most of its water requirements.
The Salinas Reservoir, located nine miles southeast of the community of Santa Margarita, has
been providing water to the City since 1944 and Whale Rock Reservoir, located one-half mile
east of the town of Cayucos, has been a water source since 1961. Both water supplies are
considered to be of high quality.
Existing Surface Water Treatment Facility
The existing water treatment plant is located on Stenner Creek Road, northwest of the Cal Poly
campus. The facility was constructed in 1964 to provide treatment of surface water from Salinas
and Whale Rock Reservoirs. The plant was originally designed to treat up to eight million
gallons per day (mgd). In 1977, the plant was upgraded to provide 11.5 mgd of treatment
capacity but has actually treated up to 12 mgd for limited periods during peak water demands.
The water treatment plant is a conventional plant that includes coagulation, flocculation,
sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection. Currently, the plant uses chlorine as the primary
t5-79'
City of San Luis Obispo 45
Urban Water Management . .an
disinfectant. The plant has operated successfully for nearly 30 years with only minor
modifications.
Surface Water Treatment Regulation
Since the existing water treatment plant was built, the Safe Drinking Water Act was adopted and
was significantly amended. The 1986 amendments are extremely broad in scope and require
implementation of new regulations by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Safe
Drinking Water Act also required the Environmental Protection Agency to specify criteria under
which filtration is required as a treatment technique for surface supplies. On June 29, 1989,
the Environmental Protection Agency issued the Surface Water Treatment Rule which defines
the standards for surface water treatment and has specific compliance deadlines.
The purpose of the regulation is to protect the public, as much as possible, from waterborne
diseases. Waterborne diseases, most notably Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium, and Legionella,
..are most commonly transmitted by surface water contamination. For the City of San Luis
Obispo, the most significant issue is the regulation aimed at reducing the formation of
disinfection by products, specifically trihalomethanes ("THM's"), which are a group of
compounds formed during disinfection by the reaction of chlorine with naturally occurring
organics. While the City has consistently met the current 100 micrograms-per-liter limit, there
have been occasional instances in which the standard has been exceeded due to the high organic
content of Salinas Reservoir water during certain times of the year. The new regulations require
increased chlorine contact times which will cause the THM levels to exceed the regulations. It
is anticipated that the new regulations will reduce the.allowable level for THM's in the future.
Ozone Water Treatment Facility
To comply with the current standards for THM's, meet anticipated future water quality
standards, and increase water treatment operational efficiency, the City is upgrading the water
treatment facility to use ozone as the primary disinfectant instead of chlorine. The use of ozone
.provides enhanced disinfection capability to meet federal and state requirements but will not
form chlorinated by-products such as trihalomethanes. When completed (projected-July 1994,)
the plant also will produce water free of objectionable taste and odor associated with algae
blooms at Salinas Reservoir and meet all current as well as anticipated regulations.
The t pgraded pra�ect will Increase the capact y o.f the 11 irorn.I1 mtl3ron gal'tons der day
to 16 t�mriliongallonsper day. This is acconiplrshed through increased filter efficiency anti the
ability„toP treat; Wye;Rock'Reservoir water: without using; the sedimentation process 'Tate
expasided capacity is stFfficienE>tci meet;projected water demand at full.buildoit under the GeneraF
P..att:
...............
...............
...............
V _ 7?
46 City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Management
4.1.2 GROUNDWATER
Background
Prior to 1986, most groundwater in the San Luis Obispo area was used by agriculture with very
little used for domestic consumption. With the onset of the drought in 1986, resulting in
decreasing surface water supplies, the City activated groundwater wells in 1989 to meet the
City's water demand.
Groundwater Quality and Treatment Regulations
Groundwater quality requirements, as with surface water, are governed by the SDWA. Like
surface water, groundwater must meet the standards set in the Safe Drinking Water Act. Water
quality analysis in 1989 indicated that advanced treatment was needed on the now
decommissioned Dalidio and Auto Park Way wells due to unacceptable levels of
Tetrachloroethylene (PCE). Carbon absorption units were placed on each well to provide
necessary treatment, and were granted approval for domestic consumption by the State of
California, Department of Health Services.
In November 1992, nitrate levels in the Auto Park Way well exceeded State standards, so the
well was taken out of service. The well located near Denny's Restaurant adjacent to Los Osos
Valley Road (referred to as the "Denny's well") experienced a similar increase in nitrate levels
and was taken off-line in June 1993. Treatment alternatives for nitrate removal will be
recommended to Council during 1994. The Auto Park Way well will be the focus for potential
treatment and reactivation because of its record of providing a reliable yield of water over an
extended time period (even during the recent drought).
4.1.3 POSSIBLE FUTURE REGULATORY CHANGES
As analytical techniques allow for lower levels of regulated water contaminants to be detected
and new contaminants are added to the regulatory list issued by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency and state regulatory agencies, there may be impacts on the City's water
treatment operations. While the Stenner Canyon Water Treatment Plant upgrade was designed
to meet current and anticipated water treatment standards, future regulations may require
additional modifications, depending on the action levels adopted by the federal and state
regulatory agencies. The following are possible regulatory changes which may influence water
treatment plant operations:
■ Regulation of total organic carbon. Could require optimizing coagulation, which would
add an acid-feed system to the treatment process.
■ Regulation of THM sub-species. Chlorinated bromideswould most likely be targeted,
which would not necessarily be a problem unless the action level is extremely low.
City of San Luis Obispo 47
Urban Water Management rian
■ Regulation of hypochlorites. Chlorates caused by the decomposition of hypochlorites
solution may require coolers to be installed on holding tanks to stabilize temperature inside
the tanks. This is a requirement now being considered by the State.
■ Lowering of the THM allowable levels. Could require changing from hypochlorite to
chloramines for final disinfection.
The effect of any of the potential regulations on the City's treatment operations is dependent on
the action level adopted. More technical and complicated processes may require training or
hiring of personnel skilled in the maintenance of sophisticated electronic equipment and
knowledgeable in telemetry and computer programming. This will be addressed in the future,
if necessary.
4.1.4 STAFFING EVALUATION
California law requires certification of all water treatment plant operators. There are five
certification levels with Grade V being the highest. Because of the size or output capabilities
of the City's water treatment facility, the plant supervisor must be a Grade V.
The following is a list of the current water treatment staff by level of certification:
Grade V - 1 (Water Treatment Plant Supervisor)
Grade IV - 2
Grade ffi - 3
Grade H - 1
Lab Tech - 1 (Grade IV certification but not an operator)
TOTAL 8
This level and qualification of staffing meets both the legal standards mandated by the State and
the operational requirements of the water treatment facility. As the operation and monitoring
requirements become more sophisticated, a review of the staffing needs may be required.
48 City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Managemei m
4.2 WATER DISTRIBUTION
Introduction
The water distribution system delivers potable water to approximately 12,500 metered
customers. The goals of the program are to provide uninterrupted water flow at adequate
pressures, to meet all fire and domestic flow requirements, and to minimize system water loss
due to leakage. In order to accomplish these goals, the water distribution program has seven
major work objectives. They are as follows:
■ Pump station and tank maintenance
■ Water main maintenance and repair
■ Water service installation and service renewal
■ Fire hydrant installation
■ Fire hydrant maintenance
■ Cross connection control
■ Underground Service Alert (USA) markouts
Because of the geographic setting of San Luis Obispo, the water distribution system is a very
complex structure of pipes, pumps, storage tanks, and pressure reducing valves.
4.2.1 SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
The water distribution program delivers
potable water from the water treatment
plant and wells to customers and fire �-- '—
hydrants via three storage reservoirs, six
pump stations, eight water tanks, and
approximately 300 miles of water mains.
It is unlikely this basic distribution
pattern will change, since the water U✓
treatment plant will continue to be the
principal source of treated water for the
City.
WtAVITY PUMPED -'� /
Pressure Zones oeuvFm oarveRT
Figure 4 illustrates the distribution
system's pressure zones. The water
delivered from the treatment plant is
split into two main distribution
networks. About 52% flows into the Figure 4 PRESSURE ZONES
City by gravity and the other 48% is
pumped to a storage reservoir at a higher elevation and then flows into the various service areas
by gravity and through pressure reducing valves (PRV's). The most apparent strain is in the
pumped delivery system. This will be discussed in more detail in the system evaluation section.
City of San Luis Obispo 49
Urban Water Managemen. .an
Since electrical power for pumping water is a major expense, a goal is to develop a system
which minimizes pumping.
The goal of the water supply system is to deliver water at pressures between 40 pounds per
square inch and 80 pounds per square inch at the customer's meter without using a pressure
reducing valve on the pipe connecting the water main to the meter. This pressure range will
meet the needs of most irrigation sprinklers and other uses, and provide adequate pressure for
fire sprinkler systems. Pressure zones are established in the distribution system to maintain
these pressure ranges. The City currently has 15 pressure zones divided between the gravity and
pumped delivery systems.
Water Storage Facilities
Treatment Plard-0 ♦Stem+er coffm
Water. storage facilities are
necessary to provide water during Fer rini—•
peak demand periods and
emergency situations such as fires. Hiqhland k WReserroa,Na.
The City has ten water storage
facilities, six of which are steel Slack St.
storage tanks ranging in size from Serra --�
.07 to 4 million gallons, three j
concrete facilities with a capacity
of .03 to 7.5 million gallons, and r Bishop
one hydropneumatic station. The
combined storage capacity is Terrace Hill
24.21 million gallons. The I
holding capacity of the various
facilities and tank locations
throughout the City are shown in * �\
Figure 5. Edna \
Saddle
Water Transmission System :{
Capacity Elevation
Parts of the City's water Location (in Mo.) Base Surface
transmission system are over 100 Treatinent Plant Wet WOO 4.00 406 431.5
years old. Most of the pipes are Stenner Canyon Res.2 7.50 536 557.0
Reservoir 1 7.50 422 433.0
made of cast iron. Other pipes Slack Street Tank 0.07 535 555.0
are made of asbestos cement Mphland Tank 0.03 547 544.0
Serrano Tank 0.10 542 564.5
(located primarily in the Laguna Bishop Tank 0.10 533 556.0
Lake area), or, since the mid- Terrace"ill Tank 0.75 366 415.0 .
Edna Saddle Tank 4.00 320 345.0
1970's, PVC. Water pipes serve FerrW Tank 0.16 569 564.0
two basic functions. The larger TOTAL 24.21
pipes or transmission mains move I
Figure 5 STORAGE FACIUTIES
large volumes of water from one
portion of the City to another.
They range in size from 12 inches to 30 inches. The smaller pipes or distribution mains are to
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50 City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Managemen n
distribute water within a local area and deliver it to each property in the City. They range in
size from 2 inches (in the older portions of the City) to 12 inches. The current minimum
standard is 8 inches for.distribution mains.
Water from the water treatment plant in Stenner Canyon is transported through a 30 inch
transmission line 3,500 feet to the transfer pumps (located on Stenner Canyon Road). The
transfer pumps take approximately 48% of the water, increase the pressure, and then provide
water to Stenner Canyon Reservoir, Cal Poly, and other portions of the City, generally north
and east of the Southern Pacific Railroad tracks. From the transfer pumps, there are two 24
inch transmission lines that move water about one mile to the city limits. One pipe is the high
pressure line from the transfer pumps and the other pipe has lower pressure supplied directly
from the water treatment plant's clear well. Figure 6 shows a simplified schematic of the water
transmission system.
BnMe lane
C14TwG
e
rom Traall.rnI
WOaI 00�110M
[CIO SaW0
Figure 6 WATER TRANSMISSION SCHEMATIC
Fire Protection System
Fire protection is one of the most important services the City provides to its residents. The fire
protection system is a network of 1,661 public hydrants and 160 private hydrants.
The Las Pilitas fire in 1985 nearly exceeded the City's capability to supply sufficient water for
fire suppression. The Johnson Avenue and Orcutt Road areas are the weakest areas for
emergency water supply, because less than 3.5% of the total storage is in this area and our
delivery from the distribution system is limited to about 2,000 gallons a minute. The
alternatives for improving this situation are to increase the water storage capacity in that area
or increase the capacity of the transmission delivery system. Another area of concern is in the
Slack Street and San Luis Drive neighborhoods. Due to existing water main easements and
location of these mains in relationship to fire hydrants, fire protection capabilities are not
adequate. An alternative is to relocate the water mains in City right-of-ways and re-connect
customer service lines to the new mains. p
City of San Luis Obispo 51
Urban Water Managemem. .an
Fire flows can now be met in all of the other gravity zones. There are local distribution
problems within all zones that will be remedied by removal of deteriorated and undersized pipes
as part of the ongoing capital replacement program.
4.2.2 OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE STAFFING EVALUATION
In order to retain a reliable water distribution system, a routine maintenance program is
essential. The following section discusses the components of a preventative maintenance
program necessary to minimize water service disruption and prolong system service life.
Preventative Maintenance Components
■ Systemwide Mainline Valve Exercise Maintenance
A comprehensive mainline valve exercise program is essential as it ensures proper operation of
"valves and minimal disruption to water customers during an emergency shutdown. This program
also identifies problem areas such as broken valves, broken operating nuts, buried gatewells, and
misaligned access sleeves. Identified problem areas can then-be scheduled for repair or
replacement which will minimize future distribution problems. In addition, a valve exercise
program assures that fire hydrants can be isolated for maintenance and repair.
■ Pump Station Maintenance
Since electrical and mechanical pumping equipment consists of many moving parts that are
subject to wear, they require a comprehensive preventative maintenance program to prolong their
useful life and avoid costly breakdowns. Currently, staff performs weekly inspections of the five
pumping facilities. Corrective maintenance is performed as needed.
■ Water Storage Tank Inspection and Maintenance
The water storage tanks are a very important component of the water distribution system. As
a result of the storage facilities, the system's flow and pressures are improved and stabilized to
better serve the customers within a storage facility's zone. Additionally, these supplies serve
as a reserve for emergencies such as fire suppression and power outages. Regular inspections
and preventative maintenance are necessary to protect the City's investment in these facilities.
This includes regularly-scheduled inspections and cleaning of probes and relays, paint and
protective coatings, facility security systems, and maintenance of access roads and sites.
■ Service Line Change-Out Program
The service line (from the water main to the customer water meter) change-out program is
currently a reactive program due to the high rate of service line failures. The City's service
lines consist of one of five types of materials: copper, polyethylene, polybutylene, lead, and
galvanized pipe. Three of the materials, polybutylene, galvanized iron and lead, have been
determined to be inferior due to their high failure rate and potential health risk. These types of
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52 City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Manageme► an
lines are replaced upon their discovery or failure and account for 45% of the workload of the
water distribution staff. A capital.replacement program which would replace large numbers of
services may be necessary in the future if the failure rate increases significantly.
■ Pressure Reducing Valve Maintenance Program
Pressure reducing valves (PRV's) are necessary to maintain acceptable pressure levels in both
low lying and higher elevation areas of the City. Pressure reducing valves reduce plumbing
failures and system leakage in areas that would otherwise experience high pressure. There are
14 PRV's in the City which should be inspected and tested annually, and rebuilt periodically as
part of a PRV maintenance program. Only corrective maintenance is currently performed.
■ Fre Hydrants
To ensure that fire hydrants operate correctly when needed, annual testing, maintenance, and
repair should be performed. It is the responsibility of the water distribution staff to perform all
maintenance, repairs, and hydrant replacement as needed. Preventative maintenance is on a
limited basis. Periodic flow testing is performed by the Fire Department.
Operation and Maintenance Summary
The preventative maintenance program goals are only being partially accomplished at this time
due to the lack of available staff time to perform the various program components. This is a
result of an aging distribution system which requires a significant amount of emergency repair
coupled with an increase in system size (additional miles of pipeline). The workload analysis
presented in Appendix IV indicates that 60% of the staff's time is spent responding to system
failures in either service or main lines.
4.2.3 WATER DISTRIBUTION INFRASTRUCTURE EVALUATION
In 1992, the City obtained a water system computer modeling program entitled Cybernet.
Cybernet is a graphic modeling program capable of simulating the City's entire water
distribution system. As staff enters water system data, a model of the entire system is being
constructed to analyze necessary system improvements. Until that process is completed, staff
is relying on experience, records, and water distribution crew knowledge to evaluate the system.
Priority Areas
This section identifies specific existing deficiencies in the water distribution system. These
deficiencies are considered high priorities and could require funding beyond the recommended
capital improvement project program expenditures.
The following is a description of the identified problem areas and the recommended solution:
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City of San Luis Obispo 53
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m Alrita Pump Station
Problem - The current system consists of a hydro-pneumatic pump that serves 11 customers.
Other customers, immediately outside of the Alrita Zone, have inadequate water pressure.
Solution - Enlarge and raise in elevation the Bishop tank to serve a larger pressure zone. The
Bishop zone is currently too large for the size of the existing storage facility. The existing
80,000 gallon tank should be replaced with a 250,000 gallon tank. This would allow the City
to eliminate the inefficient, uneconomical Alrita hydro-pneumatic pumping station. This would
also increase the fire protection capability of the Bishop tank pressure zone.
■ Highland Zone
Problem - The Highland Tank is undersized for the area it serves. The tank is also too low,
resulting in inadequate pressure for some residences.
Solution-The ideal solution would involve the construction of a new water tank at an elevation
adequate to eliminate the private booster pumps necessary for some customers. The construction
of a new water tank would be costly. Another alternative would involve the construction of a
water line from the Ferrini Tank to the end of Oakridge Drive. This would eliminate the
Highland Tank and the Highland Zone. The area served by the Highland Tank would become
part of the Ferrini zone. About 20 feet of additional head would be experienced in the Highland
Zone. Some private boosters would still be necessary, but the higher head would result in
decreased pumping costs for the residences requiring boosters. The City would save
maintenance cost by eliminating the Fel-mar Pumping Station, which serves the Highland Tank.
■ Laguna Lake Area (west of Los Osos Valley Road)
Problem -The area has inadequate water pressure resulting from the distance to the Edna Saddle
Tank and the size of the Edna Zone.
Solution - A new transmission main may be necessary to increase water availability in the
Laguna Lake area. A main could extend from the 20-inch line in the intersection of South
Higuera and Prado Road or could extend down Foothill Boulevard to Los Osos Valley Road.
Another alternative would involve the construction of a new water storage tank in the Laguna
Lake area.
■ Slack Street/San Luis Drive Areas
Problem - Water mains were originally constructed in easements through the back yards of the
properties in the area. Fire hydrant density is inadequate, reading water meters is difficult, and
maintenance on the facilities is nearly impossible.
Solution - The water lines should be relocated to the public streets in front of the residences.
The services should also be changed over to the front of each house.
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54 City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Managemen in
4.2.4 FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AREAS
It is estimated that the water distribution system size will increase by approximately 15% or
about 45 miles under the adopted General Plan, which is currently being updated. It is
important to note this does not include annexation of the Airport area. In addition, the proposed
reclaimed water distribution system, to be maintained by the water distribution staff, will add
roughly 11 miles of water line depending on the area served by reclaimed water. Also,
additional pumping stations, water storage, and other distribution facilities may be required.
4.2.5 STAFFING EVALUATION
A comprehensive workload analysis has been performed on the water distribution and customer
service sections using work logs recorded during the past three years. The analysis includes
both sections because of the overlap in duties and job assistance. There are five water
distribution maintenance workers, three customer service representatives, and one supervisor.
The results of the workload analysis are presented in Appendix IV.
As indicated, the current water distribution staff workload is limited to primarily corrective
maintenance because of the increases in the distribution system's size and age. A preventative
maintenance program will add to the reliability of the water system and potentially extend the
service life of the infrastructure, thus reducing future costs. To establish a viable preventative
maintenance program, an evaluation has been prepared which addresses each component of the
program and estimates the time required to perform the various tasks. The evaluation indicates
that a minimum of two additional staff will be required to implement a cost effective
preventative maintenance program. The recommended increase in staffing will be presented to
Council as part of the 1995-97 Financial Plan.
The workload analysis does not take into account future growth in the water delivery system or
the maintenance of the proposed water reclamation system. Those additional staffing
requirements will be analyzed when more complete water system information is available.
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City of Sao Luis Obispo 55
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4.3 WATER CUSTOMER SERVICE
Introduction
The water customer service program is responsible for accurately measuring water delivered
through the distribution system to the City's 12,500 customers. The following are the major
goals for this section: 1) to accurately measure the amount of water which passes through the
customer water meters, and 2) to schedule and perform meter reads which will generate timely
and regular water billings. To accomplish these goals, the program has three major objectives.
They are as follows:
■ .Water Meter Reading. Read approximately 6,250 water meters each month, investigate
abnormal readings (high and low), start and stop water service, and maintain access to water
meters.
■ Meter replacement and maintenance. Replace all obsolete meters over a seven year period
to conserve water and accurately measure water use for billing purposes; replace meters on a
20 year replacement schedule to ensure proper operation, and repair meter leaks as necessary.
■ Compound meter testing and repair. Maintain large commercial meters and contract
services for the testing and repair on a four-year schedule.
4.3.1 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION AND EVALUATION
The Water customer service program is responsible for the following:
■ Read approximately 6,250 water meters monthly as part of the City's bimonthly billing
process
■ Repair water meter leaks
■ Replace obsolete, old and damaged water meters
■ Test and repair of compound meters
■ Starting and discontinue water service (turn-on and offs)
■ Discontinue and restore service for non-payment
Appendix IV provides the actual workload indicators in these areas for the fiscal years
1991-92 and 1992-93.
The program is achieving the work objectives with the assistance of the water distribution
maintenance staff during peak work load periods.
4.3.2 FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AREAS
Under the adopted General Plan, it is estimated there will be an increase of approximately 23%
in the number of water meters. It is important to note that the current General Plan does not
include the airport area. Depending on the annexation size and adopted development plan for
that area, an additional increase of 2% to 5% could be anticipated. Given this assumption in
56 City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Managemen n
system growth, it can be projected that the number of water meters in the City will increase by
approximately 2,875 to 3,500 when General Plan build-out is achieved.
4.3.3 STAFFING EVALUATION
Water customer service is staffed'by three full-time employees. Assistance on an "as needed"
basis is provided by the water distribution maintenance crew. In addition, customer service
personnel are required to perform standby duties on a rotating basis and respond to any water
emergency occurring during off duty hours. This means customer service personnel must be
fully trained and qualified to perform the same job functions as the water distribution
maintenance staff. A combined workload analysis is presented in Appendix IV.
As indicated, a large percentage of time is spent on scheduled meter reads (25%), but most of
their time is spent in other areas, such as establishing or disconnecting water service and
corrective maintenance. The overlap and assistance provided by the water distribution
maintenance crew is also identified in the analysis. Again, this figure is derived from a three
year average. Assistance is needed mostly during peak periods of start or stop service requests
(coinciding with the beginning and end of Cal Poly's quarters), substituting during vacations or
illness, and when reading large water meter routes.
The cross-over of staffing during peak workload periods and emergency situations is
accomplishing the Customer Service Program goals and objectives. Based on the estimated
increase in the number of water meters as the City annexes areas within the Urban reserve line,
additional staffing will be required. As areas are annexed, an analysis of the staffing impacts
will be performed and a recommendation presented to Council.
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4.4 TELEMETRY
Introduction
Telemetry literally,means "measuring at a distance". Telemetry equipment includes the complete
measuring, transmitting, receiving, and recording data from an outlying location. The use of
a telemetry system will provide operational personnel with a mechanism to monitor and control
the entire water system from a central location and to obtain information at a moment's notice.
The information can either be sent by telephone lines or via radio signals. Through telemetry,
Water Division personnel can by command or by programming of the computer system,
automatically turn pumps on or off, change reservoir elevations, respond to abnormal or
emergency operations more expediently, and optimize pumping efficiency from a central
location. The result is a reduction in staff hours spent accomplishing all these tasks and the
reduction of vehicle trips to these outlying sites. In addition, State and Federal regulatory
standards require alarm procedures to detect process failures. The telemetry system monitors
the required processes, achieving compliance with the various regulations and ensuring reliability
of the water system.
4.4.1 SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
The Water Division telemetry system is a network of interconnected distributed process
controllers (DPC's) and personal computers. DPCs are similar to personal computers, but are
specifically designed to interconnect to sensing and control devices, and run programs written
in a distinctive computer language. Electronic sensing or measuring devices at a remote site
transmit data such as the level of water in a tank via radio signals to another site, such as a
pump station. At the pump station, a DPC uses the tank level data to decide when and which
pumps to operate. DPC's are capable of operating all types of industrial equipment from the
simple pump example to complex water and wastewater treatment processes, and are more
reliable and flexible than the old electromechanical or pneumatic control systems previously
utilized.
The Water Division telemetry system currently consists of twelve DPC's located at pump
stations, water, storage tanks, water treatment plant, and various offices. These stations are
linked by a single network through two radio repeaters located at Tassajera Peak.and seven radio
transceivers and eight radio links. Figure 6 identifies the current and proposed locations of the
telemetry system. During the 1993-95 Financial Plan period, the telemetry program will
complete phase 2 of the Utilities Telemetry project implementation at a cost of$30,000 in 1993-
94 and $20,000 in 1994-95. Planned projects will include upgrading obsolete and outdated
equipment and bringing the remaining water system components on line. When completed, the
water treatment plant, pump stations, water storage facilities and groundwater wells will be able
to coordinate operations, which will optimize the efficiency of the entire system. The system
would be invaluable during major catastrophic emergencies such as an earthquake or a major fire
like Las Pilitas.
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58 City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Managemei an
E-1N°Mak twnlbr at
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Figure 7 WATER TELEMETRY SYSTEM
LEGEND. Italics denote locations to be added to telemetry system during 1993-91
WRCK Whale Rock WTDC WTP Data Controller HLNT Highland Tank MDNV Madonna PRV
APMP A Pump Station CHEM Chemical Feed Room HLNP Highland Pump MTPW Mitchell Park Well
BPMP B Pump Station TRNP Transfer Pump House MCLP McCoAum Pump FS4W Fire Station 4 Well
RES1 Reservoir 1 WDIS , Water Distribution SLKT Slack rank PBSW Pae Beach Wage
RES2 Reservoir 2 FRNT Ferrini Tank BSPT Bishop Tank APWW Aulopark Way Well
EDST Edna Saddle Tank FRNP FerriniPump BSPP Bishop Pump DENW Denny's Well
.TRHT Transfer Pump BRSP Bressi Pump ALRP Alrita Pump
4.4.2 SYSTEM OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE EVALUATION
The Water Division telemetry system program was implemented in 1989, initially serving Whale
Rock Reservoir and the water treatment plant. All design, installation, and programming is done
by the City's Telemetry and Instrumentation Technician with assistance provided by Water
Division field crews, with the exception of the new equipment being installed as part of the
water treatment plant upgrade project. The advantages of City personnel performing these duties
are the "hands on" experience gained by the field crews in actual operation of the system, more
immediate response to desired changes in the system function or programming, and the cost
savings versus using an outside consultant.
The system has been very reliable. Necessary repairs and adjustment performed at the existing
telemetry sites are executed by the telemetry technician. It is Utilities Department policy to
maintain a reserve supply of components. This enables the technician to immediately replace
disabled modules. Any defective equipment removed from the field that is not easily repaired
in the telemetry equipment repair facility is returned to the appropriate manufacturer for repair.
Every site is inspected at least twice annually and given a visual and functional examination.
This especially applies to the radio transmitters, to ensure that FCC licensing standards are
maintained. In addition, every DPC and operator interface computer has a set of program files
which are updated regularly.
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4.4.3 STAFFING EVALUATION
The entire Utilities Department, Water and Wastewater, telemetry system is currently designed,
installed,programmed, and maintained by one Telemetry and Instrumentation Technician. Based
on an evaluation of the current structure and planned expansion of the telemetry system, this
level of staffing has been determined to be adequate for the needs of the current and completed
system. Some cross-training of existing staff in all utilities sections will ensure adequate staffing
in the future.
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60 City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Managemem .1
4.5 WATER CONSERVATION
Introduction
In June 1985, the City Council adopted the Annual Water Operational Policy which established
a procedure to monitor the City's water supply situation. An integral component of the policy
was the establishment of a water demand management or conservation program aimed at
instituting corrective measures ahead of any projected water supply deficit to maintain a
dependable supply during critically dry periods. Water demand management has played an ever
increasing role in the overall water supply development and management strategies since 1985.
In 1990, the City adopted a multi-source water plan in an attempt to solve both short term water
shortages and meet the City's long term water needs. The importance of the implemented water
efficiency programs has become even more apparent as some of these planned water supply
projects have been rejected because of high cost or environmental impacts which could not be
mitigated. Because of the difficulty in developing new water supply projects, water conservation
is being viewed more as a water supply alternative.
The primary goal of the water conservation program is to eliminate water waste by using water
more efficiently, which will postpone the need for additional supplies and reduce the amount of
water needed in the future. The specific objectives to achieve the goals of the water
conservation program are to:
■ Educate and inform water customers on short-term and long-term water supply conditions
and the importance of efficient water use;
■ Replace old plumbing hardware with water efficient plumbing hardware;
■ Evaluate water customer's indoor and outdoor water usage and provide specific
recommendations for improved efficiency;
■ Analyze water efficiency programs for cost effectiveness;
■ Develop new water efficiency programs;
■ Monitor and enforce water conservation municipal codes.
4.5.1 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Water conservation has two primary components, short-term and long-term water demand
management. Short-term activities address immediate water shortage situations caused by
prolonged below normal rainfall or disruption in water service due to a natural disaster such as
an earthquake. Long-term programs make permanent, long-term reductions in water demand
while minimally impacting customers' lifestyles.
Short Term Water Efficiency Program
Due to the drought and subsequent water shortage the City experienced from 1989 to 1992, the
short-term measures developed during that period (formalized in the City's Water Shortage
Contingency Plan) will be a model for any future water emergencies the City might face. The
Water Shortage Contingency Plan was submitted to the State Department of Water Resources
in 1992.
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State law (AB11) mandates that every water purveyor in California develop a water shortage
contingency plan. It is a compilation of all the monitoring systems the City has in place to
evaluate its water supply and any corrective actions necessary based on the water supply outlook.
As the City becomes more water efficient, it will become more difficult to achieve substantial
temporary reductions (mandatory conservation levels). Adjustments will have to be made in the
water shortage contingency plan to account for this increased water efficiency and to maintain
equity in the program administration.
Lona Term Water Efficiency Program
Many of the public assistance programs implemented during mandatory rationing have proven
to be sound long-range water management practices. In September 1991, the City Council
approved and authorized the Mayor to sign the "Memorandum of Understanding" (MOU)
regarding urban water conservation and the implementation of the "Best Management Practices"
("BMP's"). The BMP's are comprised of sixteen water conservation measures. The BMP's and
the implementation progress are listed in Appendix II. Most of the measures were implemented
during the water rationing period between 1989 and 1992. Appendix V lists the current
programs and services offered by the Water Conservation Office. The programs listed satisfy
the MOU and fulfill the annual reporting requirements outlined in the BMP's.
4.5.3 PROGRAM EVALUATION
The influence of the water rationing program and higher water rates make it difficult to identify
water savings from a specific program or service. As a signatory agency to the MOU, the city
is a member of the California Urban Water Conservation Council (CUWCC). CUWCC is
currently working on several studies that will assist the member agencies in evaluating water
efficiency programs for water savings potential and cost effectiveness. The consensus is that the
current BMP's will yield reliable water savings, but it has been recognized that more in-depth
evaluation is needed to quantify the expected water savings of the various efficiency measures.
The City has three major components in its water efficiency strategies. Within these three
components are the programs previously identified. The components are: 1) water hardware
retrofitting; 2) water auditing; and 3) public information and education.
■ Water Hardware Retrofitting. Studies to determine water savings from residential and
commercial toilet retrofittipg are being performed by member agencies to the CUWCC.
Preliminary results from the retrofit evaluations have substantiated that the assumptions
used to calculate potential water savings in the residential sector are solid. Commercial
retrofitting data is not yet available. Table 4.5.3 summarizes the progress of toilet
retrofitting in the City through the Retrofit Rebate Program and the Water Offset
Program and examines the estimated water savings based on the preliminary data from
the Retrofit Rebate Program, specifically toilet retrofitting, and calculates a cost per acre-
foot based on the cost to the City versus the water saved. As indicated, the cost per
acre-foot, as compared to other supply sources, is cost effective.
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62 City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Manageme an
CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
TOILET RETROFIT PROGRESS
1993
Toilet Retrofit (Offset) Program 4,500 (estimated)
Retrofit Rebate Program 3,761 (actual)
TOTAL 8,261
Estimated number of toilets in the City 32,000
Percent of City retrofitted 26%
TOILET REBATE PROGRAM
ESTIMATED WATER SAVINGS AND
ESTIMATED COST PER ACRE-FOOT
Number of Toilets Retrofitted 3,761
Estimated Water Savings (range) 115 to 145 acre-feet per year
Total Program Cost (through 190 $324,390.00
One Time Cost Per Acre-Foot $2,240 to $2,8200
Amortized cost Per Acre-Foot (20 years) $224 to $282•
• No ongoing operation or maintenance costs
Estimated Water Savings @ 100% Retrofit 900 to 950 Acre-Feet per Year
Table 4.5.3 Water Savings through Hardware Retrofit
• Water Auditing. Water auditing services, both indoor and irrigation, are a major
element to the water efficiency programs listed. In particular, irrigation auditing offers
a significant opportunity for .water savings. Though current available data is not
conclusive, preliminary data estimates a 30% savings potential through proper scheduling
and irrigation practices. To date, approximately 500 water audits have been conducted.
■ Public Information and Education. Public information and education have historically
been the foundation of all the City's water efficiency programs. Though it is impossible
to determine precise water savings from this type of program, it is recognized in the
water profession that information and education are a key to a utility's effectiveness to
serve its customers. The water conservation office offers free information on a variety
of conservation topics including leak detection, irrigation scheduling, landscaping, and
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water hardware retrofitting. In addition, informational workshops and awareness
programs are promoted.
4.5.4 STAFFING EVALUATION
The initial water conservation program was staffed with seasonal temporary and contract
employees, In August 1988, it was recognized that the coordinator position should be made a
regular position to maintain continuity in the development and implementation of short-term and
long-term water efficiency programs. Staffing levels beyond the coordinator position have
continued to be filled by contract staff on an as-needed basis, and the level of staffing evaluated
annually. This staffing policy has given the City the flexibility to meet the short term
requirements and changing needs of the water conservation program. In the 1993-95 Financial
Plan, the approved level of staffing is for one regular position, one full-time contract person and
one full-time seasonal (May through September) employee.
To maintain an effective program and to meet the City's commitment to long-term water
efficiency and the BMP's, a change in staffing policy may be required. Also, if the City follows
the .recommendations made in the Hughes-Heiss reorganization study, Council may want to
consider an alternative staffing policy to support a resource management approach to achieve its
water conservation and solid waste management goals. These options will be evaluated and
presented to Council in the spring of 1994.
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64 City of San Luis Obispo
CHAPTER 5
FINANCIAL PLAN
5.1 WATER FUND
Mud
The City's will fully recover all water costs, nperaaons, tnaynienant , capital,'debt service and
appropriate tsveheac , through water revenues. Resolution No. 6447 states the primary goals
of the City's water utility are to provide quality water service to its citizens and to function as
a self-sufficient enterprise. Under this policy, all water revenues are used only for water
purposes. The water fund will reimburse the general fund for all indirect costs pursuant to the
approved cost allocation plan.
Background
The City's Financial Plan policies require the annual review of the Water Fund financial needs.
Fees and rate structure must be evaluated to ensure that they are appropriate and equitable. Fees
and rates must be set at levels which fully cover the total cost of providing water services,
including operations, capital outlay and debt service. Annual review assures rate increases, if
required, can be kept to modest levels.
City policy requires that the Water Fund, as-all other enterprise funds and the General Fund,
maintain a fund balance of at least 20% of operating expenditures. This is considered the
minimum level necessary to maintain the City's credit worthiness and to adequately provide for
economic uncertainties, local disasters, and other financial hardships or downturns in the local
or national economy; contingencies for unforeseen operating or capital needs; cash flow
requirements.
In addition, fund balance levels must be sufficient to meet funding requirements for projects
approved in prior years which are carried forward into the new year; debt service reserve
requirements; reserves for encumbrances; and other reserves or designations required by
contractual obligations, state law, or generally accepted accounting principles.
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5.2 ANNUAL WATER FUND REVIEW
In addition to stating that the primary goals of the water utility are to provide quality water
service and to function as a self-sufficient enterprise, Resolution No. 6447 states that city water
should meet all health standards, be free of bad taste and odors, provide adequate fire protection,
and assure reliability and continuity of service to users.
The annual review of the Water Fund is conducted with the above goals and philosophy in mind.
Appendix VI is a summary projection of revenues, expenditures and changes in financial position
for the Water Fund through fiscal year 1996-97. This projection, revised annually, outlines the
operations and capital improvement budget for the Water Fund as presented in the approved
1993-95 Financial Plan. These projections include funding for the expansion of the Salinas
Reservoir and for the completion of the upgrade to the Water Treatment Plant. They do not
include funding for participation in the Nacimiento Project or Water Reuse.
Key Variables
The following is a summary of the key variables in forecasting water fund revenue and expenses:
■ Short term and permanent level of water conservation
■ Base operating costs plus inflation
■ Debt service requirements
■ Water customer base growth rate (based on General Plan, not to exceed 1% per year)
■ Capital improvement charges ("impact fees" paid by new development)
■ Connection and meter charges
■ Service start-up fees
■ Major capital projects
The most recent water fund analysis, Appendix VI, provided a listing of these variables and what
was specifically assumed in the analysis.
City-operated Utility Rate Structure Objectives
Although both revenue requirements and rate structure are considered in the annual review of
the Water Fund, the revenue required to operate the water facilities and the rate structure by
which the revenue is generated are two separate issues. Revenue requirements tell how much
revenue is needed to fully recover the total cost of providing water services, including
operations, capital outlay and debt service. Rate structure describes how these costs will be
distributed among different types of customers. It is important to recognize that any rate
structure can be designed to ensure revenue adequacy.
The Council adopted the following rate review objectives in May, 1988:
• Comply with legal requirements
■ Ensure revenue adequacy to fully meet system operating and capital needs
■ Encourage conservation
5-q9
66 City of San Luis Obispo
Urban Water Managemei. in
■ Provide equity and fairness between classes of customers
■ Be easy to understand by our customers and easy to administer
■ Provide for ongoing review in order to facilitate rate stability
In January 1993, Council requested a review of the existing rate structure. Upon close
examination, it was felt that some of these goals were potentially in conflict. For example, a
rate structure that provided rate stability would probably not encourage conservation efforts.
A rate structure that was easy to understand by customers would not necessarily be equitable
between classes of customers.
With that in mind, potential rate structures were analyzed based on the primary "goal" that was
intended, viewing the goals as a continuum ranging from a strong bias towards rate stability to
a strong bias towards water conservation. At the end of the continuum emphasizing
conservation, rates would be composed entirely of commodity charges, with no flat rate charges.
At the opposite end of the continuum that emphasizes rate stability, the rates-would be composed
entirely of flat rate charges with no commodity charges. The rate system based entirely on
commodity charges would produce revenue based entirely on consumption which would vary
from month to month. The rate system based on commodity charges would not relate to
consumption at all, and would be the same every month.
Prior to March 1993, the City's water rate structure was a combination of a base charge related
to meter size and a two-tiered commodity charge based on an increasing block rate. After
March 1993, the city's rate structure was modified to be entirely commodity driven. It is now
a two-tiered increasing block rate with no base charge. Although rates changed by.customer
type, it was a revenue neutral rate structure change. This type of rate structure encourages
conservation, recognizes that the marginal cost of adding new water resources is high, and is
easier for customers to understand. It is equitable among classes of customers, as no one group
is required to carry a disproportionate share of system costs. The primary disadvantage is that
the revenues may be very unstable if the customers have inconsistent consumption patterns.
Concerns about the predictability of consumption patterns due-to conservation levels and rates
based wholly on commodity use (and the impact this could potentially have on revenues) could
be addressed through the adoption of a higher fund balance requirement. Also, the current 20%
fund balance requirement is applied only to operating expenditures. This may need to include
debt service as well.
Rate Setting Methodology
In determining water rate revenue requirements and setting recommended rates, the following
general methodology is used:
Step 1: Determine Water Fund revenue requirements for:
■ Operations and maintenance
■ Capital improvements and replacements
■ Debt service obligations (existing and projected)
Revenue requirements are generally projected for four years into the future.
3—/ 00
City of San Luis Obispo 67
Urban Water Management -.en
Step 2: Subtract from this amount "non-rate revenues" such as:
■ Interest earnings
■ Connection fees and meter sales
■ Sale of electricity from hydroplant operations
■ Other service charges
Step 3: Identify water rate revenue requirements
Revenue to be generated from water rates is the difference between water revenue
requirements (Step 1) and "non-rate" revenues (Step 2).
.Step 4: Determine new rates.
Model the rate base (consumption and customer account assumptions ) against the
existing rate structure and rate requirements identified in Step 3.
3-I �
68 City of San Luis Obispo
APPENDIX I
WATER POLICY SUMMARY
Note: "` Denotes a new or significantly modified existing policy.
2.1 SAFE ANNUAL YIELD DETERMINATION
2.1.1 Safe annual yield will be based on coordinated operation of all water supply
sources.
2.1.2 The current safe annual yield is 7,735.acre-feet per year.
2.1.3 The current safe annual yield of groundwater is 500 acre-feet per year and is
included as part of identified safe annual yield in Section 2.1.2.
2.2 WATER CONSERVATION POLICY
2.2.1* Long-term water efficiency measures will maintain at least a 10% reduction in water
use levels recorded during 1986/87.
2.2.2 Short-term mandatory measures will be implemented when the City's water
supplies are projected to last three years.
2.3 WATER DEMAND PROJECTIONS
2.3.1* Separate projections of potable and nonpotable water requirements will be made.
2.3.2* The City shall use 165 gallons per person per day (0.185 acre-feet) to plan for future
water supplies.
2.3.3* Projected water demand at General Plan buildout is about 10,080 acre-feet.
2.3.4* Present water demand is calculated by multiplying the water use identified in Section
2.3.2 by the current city population.
2.4 RELIABILITY RESERVE
The City will strive for a reliability reserve of 2,000 acre-feet.
City of San Luis Obispo I_t
-3
APPENDIX I
2.5* SILTATION AT SALINAS & WHALE ROCK RESERVOIRS
The City shall develop 500 acre feet of safe annual yield to account for the loss of
water storage due to siltation at Salinas and Whale Rock reservoirs to the year 2025.
2.6* SUPPLEMENTAL WATER REQUIREMENTS
The City shall develop additional water supplies to-meet projected demand at
buildout of the General Plan. The amount of water to be developed shall be based
on land use assessment and the adopted per capita water, use figure in Section
2.3.2.
2.7 MULTI-SOURCE WATER SUPPLY
The City shall continue to develop and use water resource projects to maintain
multi-source water supplies to reduce reliance on any one source.
2.8* ALLOCATION OF NEW WATER SUPPLIES
2.8.1* When new water sources are obtained, the additional yield shall be allocated first to
eliminate any deficit at the time the new source is obtained.
2.8.2* Any additional safe yield beyond the deficit elimination will be allocated one-half to
new development and one-half to the reliability reserve (Section 2.4) and to
compensate for siltation (Section 2.5).
2.8._3*. Reclaimed water shall be accounted for as a nonpotable supply and shall not be
considered as a component of City's potable water safe annual yield.
2.8.4* When developments are supplied by private groundwater wells, the yield of
those wells will not be counted toward the City's safe yield.
2.9 WATER ALLOCATION & OFFSETS
2.9.1* The City will make available to new development only that amount of safe yields
which exceeds present water use (as stated in Section 2.3.4), the amount to
compensate for siltation (Section 2.5) and to provide a reliability reserve (Section
2.4).
I-2 City of San Luis Obispo
a- 103
APPENDIX I
2.9.2* When this no safe annual yield to allocate to new projects, a project may be built if
a developer retrofits existing facilities which will reduce long-term water usage equal
to the allocation required for the project.
Exemptions to needing a water allocations or an offset, or reducing the amount of the
required allocation or offset for a project will be granted to the extent that a project
is supplied by a suitable private well.
2.9.3 Required allocations and offsets will be based on long-term usage for each type
of development.
2.10* RECLAIMED WATER
2.10.1* The City shall produce high quality reclaimed water, suitable for a wide range of
nonpotable uses.
2.10.2* The City will dedicate one cubic foot per second to San Luis Obispo Creek and make
available reclaimed water for existing and new nonpotable uses.
2.10.3* As reclaimed water supplies new or existing development, the reliable yield of
nonpotable water will increase. The increase in reliable nonpotable yield will be
credited only when it is available to a user.
2.10.4* When the City provides distribution facilities for reclaimed water, the resulting
reduction in potable demand will be given offset credit for government projects.
2.10.5* When a private project provides the distribution facilities that allow for the use of
reclaimed water in existing development, the resulting reduction in potable water
demand will be credited on a one-to-one basis. When a private project provides
distribution facilities to that project, any required potable water allocation shall be
reduced by a corresponding amount.
2.10.6* When a component of the reclaimed water distribution system is funded by both the
City and a private developer, the credit for reduction in potable water usage resulting
from that component shall be divided according to the proportionate share based on
the contribution to the component.
2.11* CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN - Water Distribution
The City shall replace aging waterlines at the yearly rate of 2% of the value of the
Distribution system.
City of San Luis Obispo I-3
APPENDIX I
OTHER URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN POLICIES
Chapter 3* Supplemental Water Supply Projects
The City shall pursue the expansion of Salinas reservoir, the Nacimiento Reservoir
Diversion Project, water reuse, and water demand management activities as
supplemental water supply sources.
Chapter 4* Water Operational Programs
The City shall sustain city-wide water efficiency programs and strive to provide an
adequate supply of high quality water which meets all government standards, flows
at sufficient pressures, and provides fire protection. The City shall allocate funding
to meet those goals and objectives.
Chapter 5, Financial Plan
The City's policy is to fully recover all water costs, operations, maintenance, capital,
debt service, and appropriate overhead, through water revenues. All water revenues
are used only for water purposes. The water fund will reimburse the general fund
for all indirect costs pursuant to the approved cost allocation plan.
I-4 City of San Luis Obispo
3- 105
APPENDIX II
r BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES - Implementation Update
The sixteen elements of the Best Management Pmcdces are to be implemented over a three yearperiodand completed by the tenth
year. Because of the water crisis the City faced between 1989 to 1992, most of the sixteen measures have already been established.
BMPs (BY NUMBER) SCHEDULED FOR YEAR ONE IMPLEMENTATION
BMP No. 2. Enforcement of water conserving plumbing fixture standards in all new construction
Plumbing, New beginning January 1, 1992. All pipeline projects required to utilized water conserving plumbing
and Retrofit fixtures as of January 1, 1989. All other building projects subject to State standards as of January
1, 1992.
Support State and Federal legislation prohibiting the sale of toilets [sing more than 1.6
gallons per flush. Legislation passed by the State in November 1992 prohibiting the sale of
toilets using more than 1.6 gallons per flush as of January 1, 1994.
BMP No. 3. In 1988, a water distribution evaluation and leak detection program was developed. This
System Water evaluation identified potential problem areas in the system and made recommendations for water
Audit Year 1. line replacement projects.
BMP No. 7. The City supports an ongoing public information program, including:
Public ■ Speakers to community groups and media
Information. ■ Paid and public service advertising
■ Bill inserts
■ Billing information comparisons
■ Water Conservation handouts
■ Water Conservation workshops and fairs
BMP No. 8.
School The Water Conservation office offers a Resource Education Guide to provide teachers with
Education information on available resource education materials and instructional assistance.
BMP No. 13. The water waste codes currently prohibit
Water Waste ■ Use of substandard water fixtures;
Prohibition ■ Water run-off from property;
■ Use of water from fire hydrants except for fire fighting;
■ Serving of water in restaurants unless requested;
■ Use of potable water to wash sidewalks, driveways, etc.;
■ Use of potable water for construction.
Accurate records on water waste contacts and violations have been maintained since July 1990.
As of January 1993, the records indicate the following:
■ 500 contacts for water run-off violations with a friendly warning;
■ 110 water waste consultations without a warning;
■ 180 warning notices;
■ 27 Notices to Correct;
■ 2 letters from the City Attorney's office;
■ 445 requests from citizens to investigate water waste.
City of San Luis Obispo II-1
APPENDIX H
BMP No. 14. A regular position was approved in August 1988.
Water
Conservation
Coordinator
BMPs SCHEDULED FOR YEAR TWO IMPLEMENTATION
BMP No. 2. Plumbing Retrofit-Delivery of low flow showerheads and toilet displacement devices
Plumbing, New In 1987, retrofit kits including low-flow showerheads and toilet dates were delivered to 5,800
and Retrofit households in the City through the CARE program. The City continues to offer free low-flow
showerheads upon request.
BMP No. 3. Water system failure shifted the focus from leak detection to repair and replacement in 1989.
Distribution
System Audits
BMP No. 4. All water services within the City are metered.
Metering with
Commodity
Rates for all
newlexisting
connections
BMP No 6. New and Existing Commercial, Industrial, Institutional, Governmental and Multi-Famil
Landscape In March 1992, Council adopted Ordinance No. 1209 which established water efficient landsca}_
Water standards for all new development. This ordinance was submitted to the State and accepted,
Conservation bringing the City into compliance with AB 325, the Water Conservation in Landscaping Act.
Requirements
BMP No. 11. : Effective March 1, 1993, a revised two-tiered rate structure encouraging conservation and
Conservation establishing a lifeline usage figure was adopted. It also eliminated the readiness to serve charge.
Pricing
BMP No. 12. ■ In March 1992, Council adopted Ordinance No. 1209, establishing water efficient landscape
Landscape standards for all new development.
Water ■ Each spring and fall,water conservation office sponsors a water efficent plant tagging program
Conservation for in conjunction with local nurseries to encourage installation of water efficient planting.
New and ■ During February 1992, the City's first water conserving demonstration garden was installed as
Existing SFR a joint project between the City, local landscape professionals and Cal Poly. Water consumption
at the site is down 75% from previous average water use (was a large turf area).
■ Free information and consultations.upon request.
BMP No. 16. The City has three programs addressing toilet replacement:
Ultra Low Flush ■ Retrofit Rebate Program - to date approximately 3,000 toilets have been replaced.
Toilet ■ Water Offset Program - to date approximately 3,500 toilets have been replaced by developers
Replacement applying for building permits.
■ Retrofit Upon Sale Ordinance- Since January, approximately 300 toiletshave been replan
3- 107
H-2 City of San Luis Obispo
APPENDIX Il
XMPs SCHEDULED FOR YEAR THREE IMPLEMENTATION
BMP No. 1. Incentive Programs for Single Family, Multi-Family Residential and Govermnental/
Interior and Institutional Customers
Exterior Water ■ Water Conservation staff performed 400 residential/commercial water audits during 1992.
Audits. Results are being monitored with an evaluation set for the end of 1993.
Incentive ■After evaluating the top 20% water users, it was determined that multi-family complexes should
Programs for be a primary target of informational materials on the Retrofit Rebate Program and free water
SF, MF auditing services.
Residential and
Governmental/
Institutional
Customers
BMP No. S. ■ Water conservation and Parks Division staff have systematically performed irrigation audits on
Large City parks. Eleven such audits have been performed. Results were mixed. Several parks are
Landscape being retrofitted to improve water distribution efficiency.
Audits ■ Water conservation staff is in the process of auditing the larger greenbelt areas in the newer
developments in the Tank Farm area.
■ Water conservation staff has been working closely with landscape maintenance professionals in
evaluating irrigation system efficiency in several condominium and apartment complexes.
BMP No. 9. The 1993/95 water conservation plan focuses on the commercial/industrial customer sector.
commercial and
Industrial Water
Use Review
BMP No. 70. Currently, new construction water allocations and required water offsets are based on the amount
New of water the development will use on an annual basis. This means that developers are using the
Commercial and most water efficient technology available to lower the water demand of their project. The lower
Industrial Water the demand, the lower the required retrofitting that must take place prior to approval to build.
Use Review
BMP No. 15, In addition to the rebates for water hardware retrofitting, other incentive programs are being
Financial researched and analyzed for cost effectiveness.
Incentives
3-l0�
City of San Luis Obispo H-3
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_,
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3- I�q
APPENDIX III
WATER SUPPLY PROJECTS
NO LONGER BEING PURSUED
The following projects have been considered in the past as supplemental water supply projects
for the City of San Luis Obispo. Feasibility studies and/or reports have been prepared for these
projects and are available in the Utilities Department library at 955 Morro Street. These
projects are not being pursued due to economic, environmental or other identified problems.
1. Coastal Streams Diversion Project
2. State Water Project
3. Hansen and Gularte Creeks Project
4. San Bernardo Creek Project
City of San Luis Obispo III-t
i
.. i
APPENDIX IV
Water Distribution / Customer Service
Workload Analysis
Current Workload Customer Service Section:
Current Staffing: 3 Full-Tune Personnel
Task Description Staff Hours/Week
1. Compound Meter Test and Calibration 5.9 (4%)
2. Turn Ons/Offs 24.2 (18%)
3. Re-reads / High Bills 14.8 (11%)
4. Meter Leak Repairs 20.5 (15%)
5. Meter Maintenance 2.4 (2%)
6. Meter Retrofit 12.0 (9%)
7. Meter Sets/Resets 3.9 (3%)
8. Miscellaneous Investigations ° 6.0 (6%)
9. Scheduled Meter Reads 39.5 (29%)
10. Service Discontinuance 6.2 (5%)
TOTAL HOURS/WEEK 136.4
FTE'S 3.4
* 0.4 FTE is currently covered by personnel from Distribution Section
** The above analysis is a reflection of the ratio of time spent on programs and
services, not an exact accounting of weekly workloads.
3-Ila
City of San Luis Obispo IV-1
APPENDIX IV
Current Workload Water Distribution Section
Current Staffing: 5 Full-time Personnel
Task Descri tion Staff Hours/Week
1. Pump Station & Tank Maintenance 18.4 (10%)
2. PRV/PSV Maintenance 9.2 (5%)
3. Water Main Failures/Repairs 36.7 (20%)
4. Service Line Failures/Repairs 73.4 (40%)
5. Hydrant Repair/Installation 14.7 (8%)
6. Miscellaneous Repairs/Upgrades 18.4 (10%)
7. Large Meter Change-Outs 3.7 (2%)
8. USA Markouts 9.2 (5%)
TOTAL HOURS/WEEK 183.7
FTE'S 4.6
* Current workload analysis is based on past three years of actual work order
records. Analysis does not include supervisors time and assistance provided by
supervisor in the field.
3-113
IV-2 City of San Luis Obispo
APPENDIX IV
Preventative Maintenance Program:
Task Description Staff Hours/Week
1. Pumps, Motors, Controls and Facility Maintenance 15 (17%)
2. Storage Facilities
a. Steel Storage Tanks 5 (6%)
b. Hydro-pneumatic Facility 5 (6%)
3. PRV/PSV Preventative Maintenance 15 (17%)
4. Valve Maintenance Program 30 (32%)
5. Valve Replacement/Repair Program 10 (11%)
6. Equipment and Tool Maintenance 10 (11%)
TOTAL ESTIMATED HOURS/WEEK 90
ESTIMATED FTE'S 2.25
3- 114
City of San Luis Obispo IV-3
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i
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V I
APPENDIX V
WATER CONSERVATION OFFICE
PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
Using the BMPs as a guide, the water copservation office has developed programs and
procedures to reach the City's goal of long term water efficiency through out the community.
The following section will briefly explain.the programs and services.
Programs and Services
1. Retrofit Rebate Program
Customers are offered up to $100 per bathroom to replace toilets, showerheads, and
faucet aerators with water efficient hardware.
2. Retrofit Upon Sale Ordinance
Effective October 15, 1992, any property sold or transferred must be retrofitted prior to
the close of escrow with water conserving plumbing hardware.
3. Indoor Water Use Evaluations
Water efficiency specialists evaluate all indoor water use and recommend water efficiency
measures to residential and commercial customers.
4. Irrigation Evaluation and Audit
The water conservation office offers free irrigation systems evaluation and will perform
distribution and uniformity audits to determine irrigation scheduling and make
recommendations to improve water efficiency.
5. Water Efficient Plant Material Consultations
Printed information and suggestions are offered to customers interested in retrofitting
existing landscapes with water conserving plant materials.
6. School Education Program
The water conservation office offers programs and materials for grades 1 through 12.
7. Public Information and Education Program
Ongoing informational and promotional advertising both paid and public service
announcements. Variety of printed informational brochures and pamphlets available free
of charge. Educational workshops on water efficiency topics offered to the public.
8. Water Waste Code Enforcement
Mostly an educational, water efficiency specialist contact customers experiencing water
run-off problems and offer suggestions on how to solve these problems.
3-I!�
City of San Luis Obispo V-1
APPENDIX V
9. Low Income Assistance Water Audit Program
People-applying for low income assistance on their water/wastewater bill are required to
have a home water audit performed before being granted a utility bill reduction.
10. Residential Resource Conservation Services Program
A joint program which incorporates recycling and water conservation into one effort.
Specific neighborhoods are targeted'and residents are encouraged to participate in the
water audit and recycling programs.
11. Multi-family Resource Conservation Services Program
A program developed specifically for multi-family complexes to assist in establishing
successful recycling programs and achieving water efficiency.
V-2 City of San Luis Obispo
APPENDIX VI
WATER FUND RATE REVIEW
September 7, 1993
3- IIS
City of San Luis Obispo vi-i
MEETING DATE:
lu111,1�11F,l1 city Of sari �JIS OBispo 9- ,9r- 73
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT ITEM NUMBER:
FROM: William C. Statler, Director of Finance
Prepared by: Linda Asprion, Revenue Manager' n 44✓
SUBJECT: WATER FUND RATE REVIEW
CAO RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a resolution increasing water rates by eight and one-half percent (8.5%) effective
October 1, 1993 and six and one-half percent (6S%) effective July 1, 1994.
DISCUSSION
Overview
On June 1, 1993, Council examined the Water Fund rate review recommending a six percent
(6%) rate increase and determined that additional time and analysis was required to ensure
appropriate groundwater claim costs and capital expenditures were properly assessed. This
report analyzes the revenue requirements of the Water Fund based on the predicted 1992-93
revenues and expenditures, approved 1993-95 Financial Plan,and the potential groundwater
claim costs.
An additional factor included in this analysis is the timing of the proposed rate increase.
With the proposed rate increase not being in effect from July through September, when the
City experiences 30% of the total annual water sales, the Water Fund loses 30% of the
revenue generated from the increase. Based upon these factors an eight and one-half
percent (8S%) rate increase is recommended effective October 1, 1993. It should be noted
that this proposed rate increase will not retain the Water Fund at the required 20%
unreserved fund balance status by year-end 1993-94, although this level will be achieved by
the end of the 1993-95 Financial Plan period.
It should be noted that rates were last adjusted for revenue purposes in June of 1990; if
adopted, the proposed rate increase will reflect a modest adjustment in rates after almost
three and one-half years since their last increase.
Water Rate Review Objectives
As adopted by the Council in May of 1988, the City's rate review should accomplish the
following objectives:
■ Comply with legal requirements
■ Ensure revenue adequacy to fully meet system operating and capital needs
■ Encourage conservation
■ Provide equity and fairness between classes of customers
■ Be easy to understand by our customers and easy to administer
■ Provide for ongoing review in order to facilitate rate stability
3'
?li �ipl��a'►'d city of sar .Ais oBtspo
COUNLaL AGENDA REPORT
This review of the-Water Fund has been performed with these goals and philosophy in
mind. Provided in Exhibit 1 is a summary projection of revenues, expenditures and changes
in financial position for the Water Fund through fiscal year 1996-97, with the assumptions
used in this financial position projection detailed in Exhibit 2. The additional anticipated
costs of the groundwater claim have been shown with the approved 1993-95 capital
improvement plan for the Water Fund in Exhibit 3. Support for the water service revenue
projections is presented in Exhibit 4, detailing the projected consumption at the various
conservation levels and the projected revenue.
Based upon this analysis, an eight.and one-half percent (8.5%) rate increase for revenue
purposes is proposed effective October 1, 1993. This,proposed increase is higher than the
six percent (6%) rate increase originally proposed in June of 1993 because of two factors:
■ Groundwater claim costs have added an additional $800,000 in expenditures.
■ Deferring implementation of a water rate increase from July to October reduced the
originally proposed rate increase revenue by 30% or approximately $107,000. This
reduction is based on analysis indicating that between July and September the City
uses 30% of its annual water consumption.
It should be noted that this Water Fund projection indicates that during fiscal year 1993-94,
unreserved fund balance will be expended in order to complete capital projects and that at
year-end the unreserved fund balance is projected to fall below the 20% requirement. i
However, this Water Fund projection,which includes a Six and one-half percent (6S%) rate
increase in 1994-95, indicates that at fiscal year-end 1994-95 the unreserved fund balance
will meet the 20% requirement
Rate Setting Methodology
In determining water.rate revenue requirements and setting recommended rates, the
following general methodology is used:
Step 1: Determine Water Fund revenue requirements for:
■ Operations and maintenance
■ Capital improvements and replacements
■ Debt service obligations (existing and projected)
Step 2: Subtract from this amount "non-rate revenues" such as:
■ Interest earnings
■ Connection fees and meter sales
■. Sale of electricity from hydroplant operations
■ Revenues from other agencies (Cuesta/Cal Poly)
■ Other service charges (service start-up fees, late charges, returned
check charges)
` city of sar-,,jis oBispo
WaGe COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Step 3: Identify water rate requirements.
Revenue to be generated from water rates is the difference between water
revenue requirements (Step 1) and "non-rate" revenues (Step 2).
Step 4: Determine new rates.
Model the rate base(consumption and customer account assumptions) against
the existing rate structure and rate requirements identified in Step 3.
Because we perform this analysis over a multi-year period, other factors are considered such
as fund balances available to support capital projects, debt service coverage requirements,
and minimum fund balance policy.
Summary of Key Assumptions
Based upon the assumptions in Exhibit 2 and the three factors discussed above, the financial
position projections indicate that water rates require an increase of 8.5% in 1993-94 and
65% in 1994-95. The following is a summary of key assumptions for expenditures and
revenues:
■ Annual decrease in water conservation from 1987 levels over the next three years
ranging from 30% in 1993-94 to 20% in 1995-96, with 1996-97 remaining at a 20%
conservation level.
0 Operations and maintenance as approved in the 1993-95 Financial Plan with an
inflation rate of 4% thereafter.
■ Debt service for the water treatment plant is based upon the 1993 Water Revenue
Bond payment schedule.
■ Rate increases for other agencies who receive their water from the City. The City
has signed agreements with both Cal Poly and Cuesta.
■ Water customer growth rate at less than 1% until 1996-97. This projection
corresponds with the assumptions used in the March 13, 1993 Budget Workshop.
■ Capital improvement charges are estimated as a percentage of the "base projection"
of $688,400 which is the estimated amount of fees that would be collected at a 1%
• growth rate. These revenues are then discounted by 87% due to the retrofit credit
currently in place, which is projected to be discontinued with the construction of the
Salinas Reservoir expansion.
■ Connection and meter charges are projected at the inflation rate.
■ Service start-up fees in the amount of $25 to be effective October 1, 1993. The
revenue from this fee has been prorated for 1993-94 to reflect the lost revenue from
July through September. Future years anticipate revenues of $75,000 annually
'A,11gp,I�U City Of Sar .SIS OBISPO
HNIGA COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
■ Expansion of Salinas Reservoir is estimated to cost $1,300,000 for study and design
during the 1993-95 Financial Plan period. Construction is projected for 1995-96 with
an annual debt service of $700,000 under existing market conditions for the $8
million construction project.
■ The water reclamation program has not been included in these projections as there
is insufficient information on cost versus revenues to include in this analysis.
■ The cost of receiving water from Nacimiento is not included in these projections as
preliminary cost estimates are unavailable.
As reflected above, these assumptions do not include two anticipated projects - water
reclamation and Nacimiento. It should be noted that the cost of these projects would not
affect water rates for 1993-94, although they could impact future water rate increases as
necessary to cover additional debt service or operating requirements. As plans and
specification for these projects are prepared, any required modifications to existing
.projections for future rate increases will be reviewed and presented.
FISCAL IMPACT
The proposed 8S010 and 6.5% rate increases will (rounded to the nearest five cents) affect
the monthly water rates as follows:
Current Proposed Rates Proposed Rates
Rates October 1. 1993 July 1. 1994
1 to 5 ccf $2.25 per ccf $2.45 per ccf $2.60 per ccf
over 5 ccf $2.80 per ccf $3.05 per ccf $3.25 per ccf
ccf = one hundred cubic feet
.Based upon the consumption of the average residential customer at 30% conservation from
1987 consumption(which is the conservation rate used in the Water Fund analysis for 1993-
94), the proposed rate increase effective October 1, 1993 will increase the monthly water
bill as follows:
Current Proposed
Water Bill Water Bill Difference
9 ccf $22.45 $24.45 $2.00
Exhibit A
RATES FOR WATER SERVICE
Monthly water service charges per hundred cubic feet of water (ccf) used per dwelling unit
for accounts classified as residential by the director of finance and per account for all other
users, are as follows:
Commodity Charges Per CCF
Effective October 1, 1993 Inside City Outside City
Construction Site Meters
0 to 1 ccf $ 2.45 : $ 4.90
In excess of 1 ccf thereafter $160.00 $325.00
All Others
1 to 5 ccf $ 2.45 $ 4.90
More than 5 ccf $ 3.05 $ 6.10
Commodity Charges Per CCF
Effective July 1, 1994 Inside City. Outside City
Construction Site Meters Only
0 to 1 ccf $ 2.60 $ 5.20
In excess of 1 ccf thereafter $170.00 $345.00
All Others
1 to 5 ccf $ 2.60 $ 5.20
More than 5 ccf $ 3.25 $ 6.50
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VrrTING AGENDA
ITEM #.
�illlllllll IIIlllllll��� ��� III I�I�IIIII III I� at � SM
WIS OBISl�y
990 Palm Street/Post Office Box 8100 • San Luis Obispo, CA 93403.8100
March 4, 1994
TO: City Council
FROM: Kurt Kuppe hairman - Environmental Quality Task Force
SUBJECT: Water. policies in the. General Plan
At its meeting of March 3, . 1994, .the Environmental ..Quality Task
Force voted to recommend that. water policies be kept as. part of the
General Plan. Task force members .believe it .is. important to have
all policies concerning the adequacy of resources for development
within the General Plan, where consistency among .policies is more
assured.
Task force members also asked that the attached briefing paper by
task force member Richard Schmidt be transmitted as background.
I'A Please contact me or Richard Schmidt if you have questions.
fZOUNCIL CDD DIR
9 CAO ❑ FIN DIR
e3ACAO ❑ FIRE CHIEF
Df ATTORNEY ❑ PAY DIR
12(CLERWOMG ❑ POLICE CHF
❑ MGMT TEAM ❑ EC DIR
❑ cEaD FILE IT UTIL DIR
MAR ® 199 1 ' — ❑ PERS DIR
CITY CLERK
CA
OThe City of San Luis Obispo is committed to include the disabled in all of its services. programs and activities.
Telecommunications Device for the Deaf(805)781-7410.
BRIEFING PAPER states the first sentence in the WWME.There is
probably no resource whose use and protection requires
To EQTF firmer guidance than water.To eliminate water policy
From R. Schmidt from the General Plan undermines the purpose of the
General Plan.
Subject: Removal of Water Policies from the General
Plan, and Replacement by an"Urban Water 3.General Plan policies have special legal status.
Management Plan"with no General Plan status Elements of the General Plan must by law be consistent
with one another.The WWME is explicitly coordinated
Backeround: In 1973, the city adopted a Conservation with the Land Use, Open Space,Conservation and
Element for its General Plan, and included a discussion Housing elements of the General Plan. (WWME,p. 1)
of water resource policy in that element.The details of To remove water policy from the legal requirement that
water policy and water management and facility policies in all General Plan elements be coordinated and
decisions,however,were handled in separate consistent is to invite water policy that drives itself and
documents. In 1986, the city adopted a comprehensive is not coordinated with General Plan goals and
water policy and facility document,the"Water objectives.
Management Plan"(WMP). Under the guidance of a
City Council committed to promoting good planning by Question: Is there any reason to remove water planning
unifying all city planning efforts within the General policy from the General Plan?
Plan,in 1987 the WHIP became the basis for a General
Plan"Water Management Element"(WME). 4.Nothing has changed since 1987 to make what was
Subsequently,the WMP was revised to be consistent "good"planning then tum into"bad"planning now. If
with the WME, and the WMP became a guide for it was good planning to include water policy in the
"funding and carrying out specific... projects"rather General Plan in 1987,it is still good planning to do so
than a policy document(quote is from WME in 1994.
introduction). Within months of adopting the WME,.the
City Council adopted a similar policy document for 5.The argument that is is"easier"to amend water
wastewater planning, and the two were combined into a policy outside the General Plan is both specious and
45-page"Water and Wastewater Management Element" perverse.Water policy decisions outside the plan have
(1VWME), which,with modifications,continues to this to be made either by City Council resolution or
day to be the city's water resources planning Dolicv ordinance.Resolutions require a public hearing before
document. In coordination with the WWME, an annual the Council; ordinances require two public hearings. 1
"Water Operational Plan"is adopted for implementing General Plan revisions are made by Council resolution.
the WWME's policies. Now, at the behest of the city's However, amending the General Plan does focus more
administration, which argues it would be"easier"to attention on proposed policy changes, and requires an
amend water policy if it were not part of the General advisory hearing before the Planning Commission
Plan, the City Council has tentatively decided to scrap before the Council takes action.The resulting public
the water section of the General Plan, and return to the exposure and discussion increases the likelihood of
days of making water policy decisions outside the good decision-making and lessens the likelihood of
guidance and control of the General Plan.The Council hurried or little-publicized decisions taking place before
is scheduled to consider making a final decision on the public is aware they are in the works.The General
March 15. Plan amendment procedure also sheds more daylight on
the city's decision-making.To remove water policy
Discussion: from the General Plan invites the suspicion that there
may be poor planning motives behind the action. There
uestion: Why include water policy within the General is no good reason to remove water policy planning
Plan? from the General Plan.
1.The General Plan is the overall blueprint for Recommendation:That the EQTF send a memo to the
development and physical change in the city over time. City Council strongly recommending
General Plans have been referred to as development 1. that the WWME of the General Plan be retained and
"constitutions."In our city,the General Plan governs remain the city's water policy and planning document;
the rate and timing of development,growth and change, 2. that the Council reaffirm its intent that water
and also delineates values the city seeks to preserve, planning policy be consolidated within the WWME and
maintain or strengthen as change occurs.Nothing is not be distributed among a variety of documents; and
more central to the rate,timing,phasing and control of 3.that any new water"plans"be only for operational or
development,growth and change in our city than water implementation purposes,consistent with the WWME.
policy.That being the case, if good planning is the
city's goal, water policy belongs in the General Plan.
2. The General Plan"guides the use and protection of
various resources to meet community purposes." So
"CETING AGENDA
..JE 3'1 "9 ITEM #
• SIERRA CLUB SANTA LUCIA CHAPTER
IDYXDLD IX 1091
To: The SLO City Council Members
From: The Santa Lucia Chapter of the Sierra Club
Conservation Chairperson: James Merkel, 541-0
rwo , ❑ CDD DIR
❑ FIN DIR
Date: 3/15/94 ❑ FIRE CHIEF
❑ PW DIR
OLICE❑ POLICE CHF
Subject: Urban Wafer Management Plan ❑ RELiplR
Council Agenda Item 3. March 15, 1994 L D'R
LLG ❑ PEAS DIR
1. Delay adoption of the Urban Water Management Plan and direct
staff to:
a. choose a Water Use Rate that is 10% less sten gent t_^.an the
Peak conservation 2 year period, calculated as the average
rate during the best 2 year period of conservation.
b. develop a Compre_^.er_sive Water Efficiency Program as
outlined in section C.
2. Maintain current water usage offset for new development at the
amount equal to twice the expected usage of the development
without exceptions.
I
3. Do not revise the wat W use offset guidelines. RECEIVED
hAR 1 � 1994
D CITY COUNCIL
SAN LUIS OBISPO.CA
she Urban Water Management Plan as currently proposed has the following
shortcomings:
i if this plan is acted on prematurely it would result in .....'n'�oz3S. q.
wi efQSta. e__deyeionme. ,t.
2. The Water Demand Projections are arbitrary and capricious.
- The figure chosen by city staff of 165 gallons per person per day
(GPPD), was arrived at by taking the highest water usage year of
1986/87 and setting the projection at 10% 'less than this base
period. This base period happens to be the .hkghe, ___ . e
..... This period occurred
at the peak of the era of ignoring environmental concerns.
1
. . . To explore. enjoy. and protect the nation's scenic resourre.s . . .
The city staff and the citizens took pride in realizing water is a
scarce, expensive necessity of life and gained valuable experience
in not wasting water during the period from 1988 thru 1994.
During this period, with less than 10% of retrofit installed in
homes, residents learned to reduce water usage by up to 50%.
This period of low water use was maintained longer than the peak
of maximum water use, lasing 6 years.
The Sierra Club is recommending that the city council choose a
water use rate that does not assume citizens will return to wasting
precious water. The Sierra Club further does not believe the
residents are supportive of these expensive and destructive capitol
projects being proposed. The two votes on state water sent a
clear message, water = development, we don't want massive
development. SLO residents also voted not to end water rationing
during the peak of the drought! SLO residents are more
concerned with the environmental impacts of development to our
town than to the destruction of the Sacramento Delta. Both_....t e
5.a„ G$......._P,.ese _Y.Q K..._....EX.P.aXks. O. ..........°.K.QjL-`q._.....e CL....Cke_....L�eG.�?1 e. s4...........1'.X.oleGt
i _
same_.......PQter�.t ,1..._.Mr......_...m.eSS.k.V..e..__Q..V..��_�eVe�4Plile;�t� __W.s�X
beyozd._auild out.._ .g.:µ.res. Added to this, the environmental impacts
in our own back yard!
W711.__.e.�.S.u.ne.._._tk�.e...._dev.e�.op.rr]e.zxt_...Sto.P..S__�t
build ot,_ths _s_ t!! Approve these projects and keep all your
friends busy fighting development beyond build out the rest of our
lives.
Before committing residents to extremely expensive capitol projects
that have .SEVERE unmitigatable environmental impacts, direct staff
to return a Comprehensive Water Efficiency Program.
4�
The Sierra Club rammends choosing a water use rate that is
100 less stringent than the peak conservation 2 year period,
calculated as the average rate during the best 2 year period of
conservation. As the Comprehensive Water Efficiency Program
becomes implemented, the water use rate can be targeted to
drop to 10% lower than the peak conservation 2 year period.
Achieving this water use rate is realistic because:
* only 10% of the potential retrofit has been accomplished;
* no grey water or composting toilet pilot programs have been
implemented;
* no organized effort has been made to replace high water
using plants with San Luis Obispo native species that have
evolved as the habitat for the arid climate and as home to
the native animals;
* Citizens and staff now have valuable experience in water
conservation and efficiency.
_......Watez.....:a.s..e.....zatie.,_...nP.-.o.ther
. .Qjects._ 2e
needed to reach b ' d out.
* Assume start rate of: 115 GPPD X 365 Days/yr X 43,000 people /
325,829 G/A-F = 5539 Acre-feet needed now.
* Reliability Reserve of: 7,735(safe annual yield) - 5539 Acre-feet =
�9�acre-feet _ . .
* At completion. of Comprehensive Water Efficiency Program and build
out of 56,000 people, the rate would be: 90 GPPD = a6_45-A
* At conclusion of build. out. and Comprehensive Water Efficiency
Program, the city will have a Reliability Reserve of: 7,735(safe
annual yield) .- 5645 Acre-feet
ER F i c I MMCM—PWO-GRAK
,,,,.0 ID,troduction
The proposed water demand management program does not come close to the
potential for this technology. Water saved = water supplied, and the cost of
100% retrofit in SLO city would be less cosily in terms of dollars and our
environment. This section outlines a draft proposal for a Comprehensive Water
Efficiency Program.
San Luis Obispo County is an and area that has begun an impressive water
efficiency program. Full use of new water-saving equipment by all the
customers of San Luis Obispo City , would save enough additional water to
eliminate the need for several of the costly projects proposed by the City
Std, at a lower cost per acre-foot. Projects such as Dam expansions,
desalinization, creek diversions a� state water all have serious environmental
impacts and are not competitive h the cost of water through efficiency. As
an example, RQck.y Moun `Institute m -�e�t a ccst_�er acre-foot to be
$184_in_1921-d llars by using ultra-low flush toilets, low-flow showerheads,
efficient faucet aerators, and efficient lawn irrigation equipment.
This proposal outlines a program that includes installing high-performance
toilets, showerheads, faucet aerators, graywater use and other proven
efficiency systems as well as institutes a program for saving water outdoors.
Most of this equipment will not require a life-style change and has proven to
be attractive and functional. lcuns i11 this psQDOsal suaaest that
.,��a.�_Q�s1t-e..r_�l<e t.�SL�.9�e �.�Y.3.,�. _�.Y•
2 .0 POTENZOR SAVINGS
To determine how many acre-feet per year(afy) could be saved through
an extensive efficiency program we first need to estimate the amount of
retrofit that has already taken place. John Moss has stated that 10% of the
retrofit has been completed.
In San Luis Obispo roughly half of the residential water is used
3
it Iii
outdoors when not in a drought, perhaps 70% indoor is more accurate now.
The indoor breakdown is roughly: Toilets 28% , showers 21%
faucets 12% (6% Kit, 6% Bath) , Dishwasher 3% baths 9% , Washing machine
22% , Toilet leaks 5%.
Lets first examine the water use of the average non-conserver who by
San Luis Obispo City Data would use 195 Gallons per person per day in non-
drought times and during the two years of the drought 1990-91 the water use
has dropped to between 110 and 120 gallons per day per person.
The data below is intended to give a degree of savings possible and is
calculated for 70% indoor water use.
* With a population of 43,000 and use of 115 gallons per day the
yearly use is: 115 GPPD X 365 Days/yr X 43,000 people /
325,829 G/A-F =
If we assume 70% indoor 'then 115 X 70% = 80.5 gpd
DEVICE/HOUSE GPM OLD GPM NEW %SAV GPD
SAVED
SHOWERHEADS 1 . 6 2 . 8 1 . 7 39% 6. 59
KIT FAUCET 1 .1 3 . 5 2 . 0 43% 2 .08
BATHROOM 2 . 3 1 . 8 ' . 75 58% 2 . 8
TOILETS 1 . 8 5 .4 1 . 25 75% 16 . 9
LEAKS TO 1/2 CURRENT LEVEL 2
TOTAL IN GALLONS 30 . 37
TOTAL IN ACRE-FEET 10% RETROFIT COMPLETE 1462 AFY
CzB l�Fll l�
FROM WA- UPM-kA-CH.IM
- use gray water for landscape:
80.5gpd X 22% = 17.71gpd.
Acre-feet per year .potential savings by taking gray water from washing
machine only:
17.71gpd X 43,000 X 365/ 325,829ga1/af = 853 afy
OUTDOOR SAVINGS
- Irrigation efficiency improvements (drip system, sprinkler timer, irrigation
4
l ltL 111
hardware, educational materials and two hours of professional irrigation
consultation $103 to $125 per household.) to improve irrigation efficiency from
38% to 60% or 22% improvement.
30% outdoor: 34.5gpd X 22% = 7.59gpd.
7.59gpd X 43,000 X 365/ 325,829ga1/af = 366 afy
- Landscape changes, replace lawn with native plants indigenous to region
would yield additional savings.
TOTAL INDOOR AND�f UQQR SAVGS
assume 70% water indoor and 10% retrofit complete
indoor washer outdoor
+ 8 53 of v + 6_EA.f3=Z6- alf.Y
3 .0 THE PROGRAM
* This program will be contracted out, just as would a construction company
to divert creeks or build dams or desalinization plants. The contractors staff
will install the water saving equipment at all of the 13,000 city customers that
have not been retrofitted at no charge. Their bills will reflect the
amortization of the cost of the program financed over the life of the
equipment.
* The program will initially focus on the less costly equipment that is
transparent to the users.
3.1 INDOOR PROGRAM '
- Showerhead, from 2.8 to 1.7 gpry
- Kitchen faucet aerator, from 3.5 to 2.0 gpm
- Bathroom faucet aerator, from 1.8 to .75 gpm
- Low flow toilets, from 5.1 to 1.25 gpf
- Education
- Leak detection
- Irrigation efficiency improvements
- Landscape changes, replace lawn with native plants indigenous to region
3 .3 PILOT PRQ( j&U
Pilot programs of one hundred homes will have gray water systems and
5
I� IIS
composting toilets installed and monitored for savings.
- Gray water for landscaping.
- Gray water for toilet flush
3-4 COST'WAL_Y_a15
The cost analysis will consider the capitol cost of the efficiency equipment and
the cost to manage and implement the installation program. By using
manufactures data, data from other cities programs and research by Rocky
Mountain Institute, and our own experience, a reasonable projection of water
savings is possible. From this, the cost per acre-foot of water through
efficiency is developed. By understanding the potential for efficiency, a total
program cost will be generated.
Other Savings to be calculated
- Sewage treatment systems
- Water treatment costs(drinking water standards)
- Pumping costs
- Energy costs
- Environmental costs as listed in section 5 below.
_315__C_Q5T_G9KEAR SN
The matrix will be prepared showing the cost of water through the various
projects being proposed by city staff as compared to that of the efficiency
alternative.
Incentive/disincentive rate structure
PUBLIC/PRIVATE VENTURE
Collecting data - maintain a data base with all customers and
their installed equipment and track the performance of the
devices and include in billing information.
- Monitoring success. Target high use customers, reward and study
low use costumers.
_��BENEFITS TO IiQ���,_.�COIV���j
This efficiency program will save the cities customers millions of dollars and
protect our natural resources. The water efficiency program will create
employment opportunities for local people, thereby keeping the communities
wealth in the community. Making and installing the efficiency equipment will
create lasting jobs for building tradespeople, manufacturing, and retail trade.
6
u. i_L -
These types of opportunities are suited to local skills.
_�0__��yIRONMENT����IPAC�SS OF D� �ANSIONS,
- Real Estate value/habitat loss
- flooded land/destroyed habitat/loss of cultural resources
- pipe line rightaway, impact to residents and habitat
- Fishery loss
- Habitat loss, riparian shrinkage
- Energy dependency
- Pollution from energy needs, cost to mitigate pollution
- Pumping water
- Desalinization
- Growth impacts
This program allows for a Reliability Reserve of: 7,735(safe annual yield) -
5645 Acre-feet = _20%Q-ACrr=fZyqa.r during the period from now till build out.
7
WVUNCIL ❑ CDD DIR ' ZING Sa AGENDA
CA� ❑ FIN DIR DmE —' -7 1TEM #
O ❑ FIRE CHIEF
ErAyFORNEY ❑ P�'J DIR
DRAFT
pfo'FRIUORIC ❑ PouC HF MINUTES
❑ AT TEAM ❑ R IR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TASK FORCE
❑ C F TIL DIR
❑ PERS
DIR
City of.San Luis Obispo, California
Work Room behind Linnaea's Cafe - 1110 Garden Street
March 3,-1994
(IYgg#;Ct items are EQTF actions or need E.QTF member follow-up; *asterisk items
need staff follow-up.)
PRESENT:
Task Force members: Phil Ashley, Jan Clucas, David Chipping, Marilyn Farmer, Kurt
Kupper, Steve McGrath, Carla Sanders, Richard Schmidt, Eve Vigil
Staff: Glen Matteson,Associate Planner,Arnold Jonas,Community Development Director;
Terry Sanville, Principal Transportation Planner
Minutes
The minutes of February 17, 1994, were approved with corrections to Carla Sanders' and
Arnold Jonas' statements concerning the UCSB economic forecast project.
Public Comment
There was no public comment..
1. Land Use Element comment and recommendation
RECEIVED
I AR 15 190 4
9
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2. Traffic impact fees (TIF) and related items
Carla Sanders presented a draft statement, which was discussed by members and staff.
Carla Sanders questioned the use of letters of credit. Glen Matteson noted that staff did
not recommend they be an option to payment.
Kurt Kupper said the project list put too much emphasis on roads.
EQTF Minutes 3/3/94 Page 2
In response to questions, Terry Sanville said impact fees were enabled by state law, which
set limits on their use. Transportation impact fees could be used for facilities for non-
automotive transportation, but probably not for "soft" programs. He reviewed the original
list of TIF projects, and subsequent_changes.
Carla Sanders objected to lowering standards for levels of service as a way to reduce fees;
if the costs of additional traffic are not covered by impact fees, they will be paid by residents
through fees and taxes, reduced levels of traffic service and higher environmental effects,
or reduced levels for other public services, as money is diverted to pay for roads.
David Chipping said maintaining service levels would be inconsistent with traffic calming,
if the higher roadway capacities simply led to higher speeds or more traffic.
Richard Schmidt said traffic calming for neighborhood streets (such as northern Broad and
Chorro) depends on having adequate capacity on arterial streets (such as Santa Rosa).
Members questioned whether TIF's could be used to buy busses.
Terry Sanville said bus shelters could be; he did not know about rolling stock,which the city
plans to buy with restricted grant money. The first step would be for the. Circulation
Element to include projects which could be put on a TIF list.
Kurt Kupper suggested having a higher fee that could be used as restricted by state law, and
an optional lower fee that the City could use for any transportation purpose.
Arnold Jonas noted that there must be a nexus, so the development is required to pay only
for the facilities needed to accommodate additional traffic --or offset traffic growth that
would otherwise occur-- due to the development.
Steve McGrath left the meeting:
Richard_Schmidt said the EQTF should support the draft statement, with an added item
calling for the project list.to include more non-auto, non-bike projects.
David Chipping favored identifying the main travel links and concentrating on establishing. _
options to single-occupant vehicles on those links.. .
The demands of commuters and tourists were discussed.
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EQTF Minutes 3/3/94. Page 3
Recommendations of the Environmental Quality Task Force (EQTF)
Regarding a Transportation Impact Fee (TIF)
1. The EQTF supports adopted City policy that new development should pay its fair
share of the costs of constructing the community facilities that are necessary to serve
it.-Therefore, the EQTF strongly supports the-adoption of a TIF program.
2. The residents of San Luis Obispo should not be expected to live with lower levels of
service as a result of new development. The TIF should be used to ensure that.
service levels on roads and at intersections are, at a minimum, maintained at current
levels, by funding alternatives to the private automobile as a means of meeting the
city's future transportation needs.
3. The list of projects to be funded by the fee should be expanded to include alternative
types of transportation that address regional transportation impacts of local growth,
such as light rail and both commuter and local busses.
4:. The EQTF strongly supports policy 7.1 (page 19) of the draft Circulation Element.
Strict adherence to the priority order of policy 7.1 will protect established
neighborhoods and the environment.
5. All new development that will impact the city's transportation system should pay the
costs of mitigating that impact through the TIF program. Retail and hotel or motel
developments should not pay a reduced fee, as suggested in the staff report, simply
because these uses "improve the transient occupancy tax and sales tax." These uses
will be among the largest generators of traffic and should pay for the facilities
needed to accommodate that additional traffic.
-6.. The EQTF is-not opposed to the consideration of fee reductions for developments
that have an effective Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Plan,which sets
specific performance standards and requires compliance with those standards within
a set period of time. Effective monitoring to ensure compliance would be a
requirement of any TDM Plan. .The fee reductions would not include.any portion
of the fee paid for transit or bicycle facilities.
Marilyn Farmer left the meeting. =
3. Water Management
Phil Ashley favored keeping water policies in the General Plan, and referred to a list of City
documents related to water.
EQTF Minutes 3/3/94 Page 4
In response to a question, Glen Matteson reviewed the reasons presented at the last meeting
for not having water policies in the General Plan. Kurt Kupper noted that there was a
response to each objection.
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Richard Schmidt favored a water usage offset for new development greater than one-to-one.
Phil Ashley favored a statement for reclaimed water discharge to the creek based on the
objective of maintaining habitat, rather than stating a specific flow rate which appeared not
to be supported by adequate studies. He reported on state agency comments on the City's
draft EIR, and a subsequent meeting.
Eve Vigil left the meeting. At this point, with six of 13 members present, there is not a
quorum.
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-Adjournment .
The meeting adjourned to the next meeting scheduled for Thursday, March 17, 1994, from
4:00 to 6:00 p.m., in the Community Development Conference Room at City Hall,990 Palm
-Street:
Respectfully submitted, .
Glen Matteson, Associate Planner
EQTF3-3.MIN _ .
c DAETI 3G -9 AGENDA
=—.-ITEM #
EQTF
` City Council Agenda Report
From: City of San Luis Obispo Environmental Quality Task Force
Subject: Removal of Water Planning Policies from the General Plan, and
Replacement by an"Urban Water Management Plan" with no General Plan status
(Please Note: This is one of two reports from the EQTF on the proposed adoption of
the Draft Urban Water Management Plan. This report deals with the General Plan
aspects of the proposal. The second, separate, report deals with wildlife and habitat
issues.)
EQTF Recommendation:
That the City Council
1. Retain the Water and Wastewater Management Element of the General Plan as
the city's guiding water policy and planning document;
2. 1Y4j adopt the proposed Urban Water Management Plan as a replacement for
the water portion of the Water and Wastewater Management Element of the
General Plan;
3. Reaffirm its intent that water planning pDlia be consolidated within the Water
and Wastewater Management Element of the General Plan, and not be
distributed among a variety of documents; and
4. Resolve that any new water"plans" be Qnly for operational or implementation
purposes, consistent with policies of the Water and Wastewater Management
Element of the General Plan.
Back und: For more than 20 years, the City of San Luis Obispo has had a
progressive planning program that has set it apart from other cities in the region
and the state. In response to a popular mandate, responsive and responsible City
Hall leadership adopted a variety of intelligent and sensitive planning policies
designed to protect the city's quality of life and resources. One way it did this was to
proceed beyond minimum state planning mandates by including many important
issues voluntarily within the planning framework of its General Plan. This has
assured that important issues, like water policy, receive the same high degree of
public scrutiny as other issues which the state mandates be covered by the General
Plan.
In 1973, the city adopted a Conservation Element for its General Plan, and included
a discussion of water resource policy in that element. This was the beginning of the
city's efforts to deal with water resources within the mandate of the General Plan.
The details of water management, however, were still handled in separate
documents. In 1986, the city adopted a comprehensive water policy and facility
document, the "Water Management Plan" (WMP). Under the guidance of a City
Council committed to promoting good planning by unifying all city planning efforts
EQTF to Council, Page 1
within the General Plan, in 1987 the WMP became the basis for a General Plan
"Water Management Element" (WME). Subsequently, the WMP was revised to be
consistent with the WME, and the WMP became merely a guide for "funding and
carrying out specific... projects" rather than a policy document (quote is from WME
introduction). Within months of adopting the WME, the City Council adopted a
similar policy document for wastewater planning, and the two were combined into a
45-page "Water and Wastewater Management Element" (WWME), which, with
modifications, continues to this day to be the city's water resources planningon lice
document. In coordination with the WWME, an annual "Water Operational Plan" is
adopted for implementing the WWME's policies. This system has assured that the
city's water planning is consistent with the broader planning policies of the General
Plan, and that the water system's year-to-year management is consistent with
General Plan objectives. This arrangement has served the city well.
Now, at the urging of the city's administration, the City Council is being asked to
scrap the water section of the General Plan's WWME, and return to the days of
making water policy decisions outside the guidance and control of the General Plan.
This change is being proposed in the name of administrative convenience. There is
no pretext that the change will result in better planning, only that it will be more
convenient to change water policy or planning direction by having water policy
stand on its own. Once the water section of the WWME is eliminated, staff plans to
return with a similar proposal to dismantle the Wastewater section of the Element.
Thus, a long progression of progressive planning policy, which brought water
resources within the mandate of the General Plan, will come to an end.
Discussion:
Question: Why include water policy within the General Plan?
1. The General Plan is the overall blueprint for development and physical change in
the city over time. General Plans have been referred to as development
"constitutions." In our city, the General Plan governs the rate and timing of
development, growth and change, and also delineates values the city seeks to
preserve, maintain or strengthen as change occurs. Nothing is more central to the
rate, timing, phasing and control of development, growth and change in our city
than water policy. That being the case, if good planning is the city's goal. water
policy belongs in the General Plan.
2. The General Plan "guides the use and protection of various resources to meet
community purposes." So states the first sentence in the WWME. There is probably
no resource whose use and protection requires firmer guidance than water. TQ
eliminate waterop 1�from the General Plan undermines the resource protective
purpose of the General Plan,
3. General Plan policies have special legal status. Elements of the General Plan
must by law be consistent with one another. The WWME is explicitly coordinated
with the Land Use, Open Space, Conservation and Housing elements of the General
Plan. (WWME, p. 1) To remove water policy from the legal requirement that policies
in all General Plan elements be coordinated and consistent is to invite water policy
that drives itself and is not coordinated with General Plan goals and objectives.
EQTF to Council, Page 2
Question Is there any reason to remove water planning policy from the General
Plan?
4. Nothing has changed since 1987 to make what was "good" or"progressive"
planning then turn into "bad" planning now. If it was good planning to include
water,policy in the General Plan in 1987. it is still good planning to do so in 1994.
5. The argument that it is "easier" to amend water policy outside the General Plan
is both specious and perverse. Water policy decisions outside the plan have to be
made either by City Council resolution or ordinance. Resolutions require a public
hearing before the Council; ordinances require two public hearings. General Plan
revisions are made by Council resolution. However, amending the General Plan
does focus more attention on proposed policy changes, and requires an advisory
hearing before the Planning Commission before the Council takes action. The
resulting public exposure and discussion increases the likelihood of good decision-
making and lessens the likelihood of hurried or little-publicized decisions taking
place before the public is aware they are in the works. The General Plan
amendment procedure sheds more daylight on the city's decision-making. To remove
water policy from the General Plan invites the suspicion that there may be poor
planning motives behind the action. There is no Pood reason to remove water polia
planning from the General Plan.
Conclusion: The EQTF strongly recommends, as outlined above, that the City
Council reject the Draft Urban Water Management Plan as the city's water
planning and policy document, and stick with the "General Plan Element plus
Annual Qperational Plan" system that has served the city well for many years.
We note, furthermore, that the verbose, confusing, overly lengthy, and overly
complex Draft UWMP is not, in its present form, suitable for adoption as a
substitute for the existing Water and Wastewater Management Element of the
General Plan. If there is a need to revise the existing Element, it should be to make
it simpler and easier to use, not to make it more difficult to understand and apply.
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EQTF to Council, Page 3
I
To: San Luis Obispo City Council March 9, 1994
From: Environmental Quality Task Force (EQTF)
Subject: EQTF recommendations to the Council on the Draft Urban
Water Management Plan (UWMP).
The EQTF and its appropriate subcommittees have met several times
to discuss the subject document and submit the following
recommendations.
We have 4 major recommendations for the UWMP. The first is a
recommendation that the existing Water And Wastewater
Management Element (WWME) not be eliminated and apparently
replaced by the UWMP. Justifications for this recommendation are
being provided by the EQTF to the Council in a separate letter. The
other 3 recommendations follow and more thorough supporting
documents are attached.
1. First, several places in the UWMP reference is made to proposed
uses for City water. All of these uses relate to economic or t
development use of water. This is as it has been for 100 years in
western water management and represents an unacceptable and
unsuccessful status quo. It has led to the endangerment of many
species continually expanding endangered species lists. Much of this
problem is due to our usurping other species water for our own use.
Unfortunately the main entities designated to stem this
endangerment cycle are to present ineffective (California
Environmental Quality Act, Calif. Dept. Fish & Game, and the
Endangered Species Act itself). Mitigation at the site of water
diversion, for reasons too complex to discuss here, has often not
worked. But to summarize, water diversion mitigation has been too
little, poorly planned, and poorly carried out.
Recognizing the failure of the economic system to maintain a healthy
ecosystem for other species, the EQTF recommends that the Council
add to the UWMP the following official use for City water:
Habitat management as, mitigating, maintaining, restoring,
enhancing, and creating habitat.
2
The EQTF's specific recommendations for changing the UWMP to
accomplish this are provided in the attached EQTF document titled
"DRAFT URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN (UWMP)".
2. Second. the UWMP proposes to release one cubic ft. per second
(cfs) of reclaimed water to San Luis Obispo Creek to maintain aquatic
and riparian habitats. The stream flow study in the City's Draft EIR
on the Water Reclamation Project (WRP) was flawed by its bias to
prove the adequacy of such a low flow release, rather than to truly
determine the optimum (not the minimum) flow release needed to
maintain or enhance the stream ecosystem. We have attached the
State Water Resources Control Board's and CDFG's comment letters on
the Draft EIR stream flow study. These agency comment letters have
various remarks on the inadequacy of the stream flow study and its
"derived" 1 cfs flow. We recommend that you read both letters but
we have provided the following quotes in summary. The CDFG stated:
"it is obvious that the minimum flow release needs to be more
than one cfs if significant habitat loss is to be avoided."
And the SWRCB stated:
"How will a minimum discharge of one cfs maintain or improve a
riparian zone that has become dependent on a higher continuous
flow year round, especially during the summer months?"
These statements and several others in each letter clearly show the
inadequacy of the stream flow study relative to the I cfs
determination. Yet City Utility Department staff continue to promote
the 1 cfs release, as they did in a recent meeting with the EQTF. We
find this very troubling in light of these agency letters and other
similar public comment letters.
The EQTF has further addressed this problem in its attached "DRAFT
URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN (UWMP)" letter. To resolve this
problem, we recommend that the Council eliminate reference in the
UWMP to the 1 cfs flow replacing it with the following (new wording
underlined; old wording lined out):
"The City will continue to discharge to San Luis Obispo Creek
a flow that has yet to be determined
of reclaimed water for aquatic and riparian habitats."
3
3. Third, section "3.1 SALINAS RESERVOIR EXPANSION PROJECT" of
the UWMP discusses this project diverting 1,650 acre-feet a year
(afy) of water from the Salinas River system to the City. It indicates
one of the hurdles for this project is certification of the Salinas
Reservoir Expansion Project EIR this spring. The Draft EIR to date
discusses the possibility of mitigating for ecological losses upstream
of the dam, however, though it admits a potential cumulative
downstream ecological impact (based on an 0.9 % reduction in river
flows), the EIR suggests no mitigation for this adverse impact. We
have attached our specific recommendations on this project in our
document titled "DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT FOR THE
PROPOSED SALINAS RESERVOIR EXPANSION PROJECT".
For terrestrial and aquatic habitats upstream of the dam we have
provided specific mitigation recommendations to be included in the
EIR prior to certification. We have done the same for wetland and
riparian habitats downstream of the dam. There is strong
justification for downstream mitigation. The Draft EIR, City Utility
Department staff at 2 public hearings, and the Telegram Tribune
newspaper have repeatedly stated Salinas River flows will only be
decreased by 0.9 % annually by this project. However, as our
attached document discusses, hidden in the Draft EIR data is pmof
that the flows in the river reach below the dam will be reduced by
11.9 % annually. This approximately 9 mile stretch of river below the
dam is one of the few examples of canyon riverine wetland and
riparian habitat in the County. This stretch of river has already
succumbed to a 40 % reduction in annual flows since 1944 by the
existing Salinas Reservoir Project, and this huge flow reduction
includes the flows added back in 1971 under the "live stream
agreement" with CDFG (Draft EIR, TABLE 3.4-14, Estimated Salinas
Res. Inflow, 19,316 AFY, divided into Estimated Spill and Live Stream
Releases, 11,651 AFY, = only 60 % of the original flows remaining,
yielding a 40 % reduction in annual flows below the damn). To
further reduce without mitigation the flows to this beautiful canyon
riverland, beyond what it has already sustained, would be a travesty.
If the EIR admits an 0.9 % flow reduction is a cumulatively
significant impact, then an 11.9 % flow reduction must be a
significant adverse impact in its own right and must be mitigated.
As stated, the EQTF's attached document on this project contains
specific upstream and downstream mitigations that the EQTF
recommends the City Council adopt before they certify the EIR.
However, because of the City Utility Department's vague upstream
4
mitigations in the Draft EIR and their opinion no downstream
mitigation is necessary (based on the 0.9 % flow reduction instead of
the much more significant 11.9 % flow reduction), the EQTF
recommends that the Council provide the following language in the
last paragraph of this section of the UWMP to give the Utility
Department clear guidance:
Before certifying the EIR, the City will work with interested
parties including its own EQTF to insure adequate mitigation is
provided for upstream and downstream cumulatively significant
or significant adverse impacts.
In summary the EQTF is recommending by separate letter that the
WWME be retained to control City water policy and in this letter that
the UWMP:
1. Include an official statement for a habitat management use of City
water;
2. Eliminate reference to the biased and inadequate 1 cfs reclaimed
water discharge and replace it with the wording "a flow that has yet
to be determined", and
3. In the SALINAS RESERVOIR EXPANSION PROJECT section include a
statement indicating that adequate mitigation will be provided for
upstream and downstream cumulatively significant or significant
adverse impacts.
i� r
May 7, 1993
Mr. David Zweig
City of San Luis Obispo
Utilities Department
955 Morro Street
San Luis Obispo, California 93401
Dear Mr. Zweig:
City of San Luis Obispo Wastewater Reclamation Project
Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR)
Department of Fish and Game personnel have reviewed the DEIR
on the reclamation of wastewater from San Luis Obispo Creek. The
project proposes to redirect treated wastewater to a distribution
system for non-potable demands by the City of San Luis Obispo.
Currently an average of 4 , 000 acre-feet per year are released to
San Luis Obispo Creek. This discharge represents a significant
proportion of creek flow in San Luis Obispo Creek, particularly
during dry conditions . In general, the DEIR discussion of impacts
and mitigation measures associated with the diversion and use of
the discharge is inadequate and does not fully describe the impacts
associated with the project . It does not support the conclusion
that impacts to plant and animal life are insignificant .
The discussion on water rights is somewhat misleading. The
DEIR cites a portion of Section 1210 , Article 1 . 5 of the California
Water Code and then concludes "a party adding foreign (reclaimed)
water to a natural creek flow generally has the legal right to
terminate the release at will . "
The DEIR draws the wrong conclusion because Section 1210 also
states "Nothing in this article shall affect the treatment plant
owner' s obligations to any legal user of the discharged treated
waste water. " If a legal use of the treated waste water has been
established downstream of the discharge point, the treatment plant
owner cannot arbitrarily discontinue the discharge to the detriment
of any such user. If this was allowable, then the waste water
treatment plant owner would not have to get approval from the State
Water Board for a change in the point of discharge, place of use,
or purpose of use of treated waste water (Section 1211, California
Water Code) .
Mr. David Zweig
May 7, 1993
Page Two
In accordance with California Water Code Section 1211, the
DEIR should recognize that State Water Board approval is required
and that the State Water Board must consider impacts of the charge
on other legal uses of water, including instream uses for
fisheries, wildlife, and riparian habitat .
An instream flow study conducted for this project used only
total wetted stream area as a measure of physical habitat quality.
Wetted surface area provides minimal information about habitat
availability. In a February 27, 1992 letter commenting on the
proposed study plan, the Department recommended that water depths
and velocities also be collected and be incorporated into the
analysis . We realized that species criteria curves were not
available from creeks in the general vicinity to apply to wetted
area modeling. The Department believes that study results would be
more useful if the data from Bovee' s (1978) generalized steelhead
rearing curves were used to generate weighted usable area versus
flow curves . The study as it was conducted is inadequate for
determining instream flow needs for San Luis Obispo Creek.
The instream flow study using a relationship between
streamflow and total wetted area of the stream channel suggested a
preliminary recommendation of one cubic foot per second (cfs) as a
minimum discharge flow. The data shows that with an 87 . 5 percent
reduction in flow (from 8 cfs to 1 cfs) there is only a 16 . 4
percent reduction in total wetted area. The study indicates that
the stream channel is steep-sided, with a relatively flat-bottom.
The study results, along with the habitat mapping data and transect
bottom profiles, suggest that the relationship between water
velocity and depth may be a more critical parameter to consider.
Unfortunately, we do not have this data on which to determine flows
necessary to maintain fish life. However, ; it is obvious that the
minimum flow release needs to be more than`cne cfs if significant
habitat loss is to be avoided.
The DEIR does not discuss the impacts of the reduced effluent
discharge to the southwestern pond turtle, clemmvs marmorate
pallida, or the red-legged frog, Rana aurora, which are both
Category 1 candidates from Federal listing and State designated
species of special concern. Furthermore, there is no discussion of
the effects on the tidewater goby, Encvclocobius newberrvi, due to
a reduction in freshwater inflow into the mouth of San Luis Obispo
Creek, where it occurs . The tidewater goby is also a Category 1
candidate for Federal listing and a State designated species of
special concern. These issues need to be addressed.
In order for mitigation flows to be effective, they must be in
addition to those necessary to maintain other downstream uses which
have become dependent upon the presence of the effluent . The DEIR
Mr. David Zweig
May 7, 1993
Page Three
states that the instream flow study "shows that the proposed one
cfs effluent discharge will maintain a continuous flow in the creek
during typical downstream pumping conditions . " The data presented
in the study does not support this conclusion. To avoid
complications, minimum flows to maintain stream habitat must be
measured at a point just upstream of the confluence of See Canyon
Creek.
California Environmental Quality Act guidelines (Section
15126d) state that discussion of alternatives shall focus on those
capable of eliminating any significant adverse environmental
effects on reducing them to a level of insignificance, even if
these alternatives would impede the attainment of the project
objectives, or would be more costly. It requires that the "no
project" alternative be evaluated. State and Federal policy state
that the preferred method of mitigation is impact avoidance . The
mitigation in this project DEIR is not sufficient to avoid
significant adverse impact to wildlife and riparian vegetation of
San Luis Obispo Creek. The DEIR appears to be cursory in nature
and provides limited information from which informed decisions can
be made.
The Department has direct jurisdiction under Fish and Game
Code sections 1601-03 in regard to any proposed activities that
would divert or obstruct the natural flow or change the bed,
channel, or bank of any stream. We recommend early consultation
since modification of the proposed project may be required to avoid
impacts to fish and wildlife resources . Formal notification under
Fish and Game Code Section 1603 should be made after all other
permits and notifications have been obtained. Work cannot be
initiated until a streambed alteration agreement has been executed.
Department personnel are available to discuss our concerns
further. Please contact Chuck Marshall, Associate Fishery
Biologist, at (805) 237-9538 .
Sincerely,
Brian Hunter
Regional Manager
Region 3
CM/kls
bc: Chuck Marshall, Jim Lidberg, Keith Anderson,
Cindy Chadwick-ESD
STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD
PAUL R. BONDERSON BUILDING Mailing Address T
901 PSTREET DIVISION OF WATER RIGHTS
;RA MENTO. CALIFORNIA 95814 P.O. BOJ( 2000. Sacramento. CA 95612.2000
X16/657-1967
FAX: 916/657-1485
In Reply Refer
to: 316:FR:WW-12
MAY Oro" 1993
Mr. David Zweig
City of San Luis Obispo
Utilities Department
955 Morro Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Dear Mr. Zweig:
DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT FOR THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO WATER
RECLAMATION PROJECT--SCH# 92031048
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Report
(DEIR) for the subject project. The City of San Luis Obispo (City) has filed a
waste water discharge change petition for the project (Petition WW-12) with the
State Water Resources Control Board's (State Water Board) Division of Water
Rights pursuant to California Water Code Sections 1210-1211 . As a Responsible
Agency, the State Water Board must consider an adequate environmental document
prepared by the City before deciding whether to approve the project and grant the
petition.
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines require that " . . .the
decision-making body of each Responsible Agency shall consider the Lead Agency's
EIR or Negative Declaration prior to acting upon or approving the project"
(Section 15050(b) , State CEQA Guidelines) . "An EIR should be prepared with a
sufficient degree of analysis to provide decision-makers with information which
enables them to make a decision which intelligently takes account of
environmental consequences" (Section 15151, State CEQA Guidelines) . The DEIR
appears to be cursory in nature and provides limited information from which
conclusions can be drawn.
The discussion on water rights is somewhat misleading. The DEIR cites a portion
of Section 1210, Article 1.5, of the California Water Code. The entire sentence
reads:
The owner of a waste water treatment plant operated for the purpose of
treating wastes from a sanitary sewer system shall hold exclusive right to
the treated waste water as against anyone who has supplied the water
discharged into the waster water collection and treatment system,
including a person using water under a water service contract, unless
otherwise provided by agreement.
In other words, the treatment plant owner has the right to the treated waste
water over the parties who originally diverted or purchased the water which
Mr. David Zweig - 2 -
eventually makes its way into the treatment facility. This is contrary to other
situations where the courts have found that the original appropriator maintains
the right to use "wastage" recovered after beneficially using the water (Stevens
v. Oakdale Irr. Dist. 13 Cal . 2d 343, 90 Pac. Rptr. 2d 58) .
Section 1210 further states:
Nothing in this article shall affect the treatment plant owner's
obligations to any legal user of the discharged treated waste water.
If a legal use of the treated waste water has been established downstream of the
discharge point, the treatment plant owner cannot arbitrarily discontinue the
discharge to the detriment of any such user. If this was allowable, then the
waste water treatment plant owner would not have to get approval from the State
Water Board for a change in the point of discharge, place of use, or purpose of
use of treated waste water (Section 1211, California Water Code) .
In accordance with California Water Code Section 1211 , the DEIR should recognize
that State Water Board approval is required and that the State Water Board must
consider impacts of the change on other legal uses of water, including instream
uses for fisheries, wildlife, and riparian habitat.
The instream flow study conducted for this project suggested a preliminary
recommendation of one cubic foot per second (cfs) as a minimum discharge flow.
This quantity is based on a relationship between streamflow and total wetted area
of the stream channel .
The data show that with an 87.5% reduction in flow (from 8 cfs to 1 cfs) , there
is only a 16.4% reduction in total wetted area. The study indicates that the
stream channel is steep-sided, with a relatively flat bottom. The study results,
along with the habitat mapping data and transect bottom profiles, suggest that
the relationship between water velocity and depth may be a more critical
parameter to consider.
Temperature is another factor which is not evaluated in the instream flow study.
Water temperature affects dissolved oxygen concentrations and the decomposition
rate of organic materials. Temperature is related to streamflow in several ways:
(1) A higher discharge provides a greater volume of water to be heated by
the sun;
(2) The slower water flows through a system, the longer it is subject to
thermal exposure; and,
(3) A larger proportion of water volume is exposed to sunlight when the
ratio between width and depth of flow is large (wide, shallow stream) .
Temperature may also have significant effects on survival , growth, and timing of
life history stages of aquatic organisms.
Mr. David Zweig - 3 -
Lower stream velocities will also tend to encourage algal growth within the
stream. Decomposition of this material , combined with increased water
temperatures, reduces dissolved oxygen levels in the water.
Additionally, the instream flow study does not include any habitat preference
data or analysis. There is no identification of which species or habitat the one
cfs is supposed to maintain.
The instream flow study itself contains a caveat as to the adequacy of a one cfs
minimum discharge. "A final recommendation, however, should consider the
possible effect of other factors such as rates of water removal by downstream
irrigators, the ability of tertiary treated wastewater to support salmonid
species, sedimentation rates and substrate quality in the watershed, and the
value of the water for alternative uses." The DEIR provides no evidence that
these factors were taken into account in proposing the one cfs minimum discharge.
The instream flow study should be expanded to include an analysis of all of the
factors normally used in the Instream Flow Incremental Methodology (IFIM) .
The DEIR recommends four mitigation measures to lessen the impacts to San Luis
Obispo Creek due to a reduction in treated waste water discharge. The adequacy
of a minimum one cfs discharge is discussed above. Measures 2 and 3, stabilizing
large fluctuations in flow volume discharge and improvement.of water quality of
the discharge are not mitigation measures. Rather these are results of the
treatment facility upgrade, which has apparently been approved by the City.
The fourth measure, "(t)he reduction in effluent discharge will have the effect
of reducing the pollutant loading to the creek" would be a result of the project,
not a mitigation measure. This finding appears to be based on the quality of the
discharge water using pre-upgrade criteria.
The DEIR should be expanded to compare the effects of: (1) the present
conditions (total discharge at pre-upgrade quality) ; (2) total discharge at post-
upgrade quality; and, (3) reduced discharge at post-upgrade quality. A
comparison of these three scenarios would provide useful information for
evaluating the project effects on San Luis Obispo Creek.
The text of the DEIR states that San Luis mariposa lily (Calochortus obispoensis)
has not been observed to inhabit the creek corridor. However, the botanical list
in Appendix H includes C. obispoensis as one of the species inhabiting lower San
Luis Obispo Creek. This inconsistency needs to be addressed. If C. obispoensis
does occur along the creek, then the DEIR needs to be expanded to include a
discussion on potential impacts to this species.
The DEIR argues that the project will improve the quality of riparian habitat
along San Luis Obispo Creek and bring the creek closer to its "natural state" .
The "natural state" of the creek is uncertain, as stated in the DEIR, due to many
human related activities (both past and present) .
The treatment plant upgrade will undoubtedly provide higher quality water to the
riparian habitat downstream of the treatment plant discharge point. How will a
minimum discharge of one cfs maintain or improve a riparian zone that has become
Mr. David Zweig - 4 -
dependent on a higher continuous flow year round, especially during the summer
months?
The DEIR does not discuss the potential impacts to wildlife along San Luis Obispo
Creek. The treatment plant upgrade will produce treated waste water of higher
quality than currently exists. The DEIR states that the lower San Luis Obispo
Creek is poor salmonid habitat due to reduced dissolved oxygen levels. The
treatment plant upgrade will reduce BOD and effluent temperature, thus providing
a higher dissolved oxygen level then currently exists today. This will be
beneficial to salmonid fishes as well as other aquatic species. As mentioned
above, the minimum discharge of one cfs may cause a decrease in dissolved oxygen
levels due to thermal factors. These issues need to be addressed. The rationale
to determine the effects are inappropriate.
The DEIR does not discuss potential impacts to the southwestern pond turtle
(Clemmys marmorata pallida) , the two-striped garter snake (Thamnophis couchi
hammondi) , or the red-legged frog (Rana aurora draytoni) due to a reduced
discharge. Furthermore, there is no discussion of the effects on the tidewater
goby (Eucyclogobius newberryi) due to a reduction in freshwater inflow into the
mouth of San Luis Obispo Creek, where it occurs. These issues also need to be
addressed.
The DEIR states that the instream flow study "shows that the proposed 1 cfs
effluent discharge will maintain a continuous flow in the Creek during typical
downstream pumping conditions." This conclusion cannot be drawn from available
data. Flows were reduced for the instream flow study for only a short period of
time. The effect of withdrawals from the aquifer on surface flow could not be
observed during this short time period. Additionally, field work for the
instream flow study was planned for late February and early March when the demand
for agriculture is significantly less than during the summer months. Is the
conclusion regarding downstream pumping conditions valid during the summer
months? What studies were done to verify the conclusion? A minimum discharge
of one cfs may not recharge the aquifer at a rate equal to withdrawals, thereby
leaving a dry streambed during the summer.
If the above situation is accurate, then the potential impacts to agriculture
identified in the DEIR would occur due to a reduction in effluent discharge. A
reduction in discharge to the creek will reduce the amount of water available for
recharge of the aquifer. If withdrawals from the aquifer continue at the present
rate, an overdraft condition may likely develop. This may also impact riparian
and aquatic species by further reducing, or eliminating, the surface flow of the
creek.
Determining a minimum flow to be maintained and measured at a point just upstream
of the confluence of See Canyon Creek may alleviate all of the concerns discussed
above. The DEIR should be expanded to thoroughly address these concerns and
provide information which supports mitigation leading to a finding of no
significant impacts.
The location of cultural resources are considered to be confidential information.
Not only are the site records considered to contain sensitive information, but
Mr. David Zweig - 5 -
any maps with site locations also are not for public disclosure. The locational
information contained in the text of the cultural resources report in Appendix
J of the DEIR should be deleted (including text and tables on pages 4 through 8) .
The inclusion of Maps 4 and 6 is also inappropriate. The technical cultural
resources report is not ordinarily included with an EIR and is only distributed
to agencies or project personnel on a need to know basis.
The availability of potable water is a growth limiting factor throughout most of
the State. Providing reclaimed water for uses currently made with potable water
will reduce the current demand on potable water. Subsequently, the offset in
demand upon the potable water supply by the use of reclaimed waste water will
allow the rededication of potable water to future development. If the entire
amount of reclaimed water (less the one cfs discharge) is utilized (approximately
3,250 acre-feet per year) , it would be an amount equal to almost half of the
City's safe annual yield of potable water. This could be a significant impact
since theoretically the potable water supply could then support a population
twice as large as current water uses would allow.
Furthermore, the largest proposed use of treated waste water is for the Los
Nomadas Development (834.9 acre-feet per annum) . Will the Los Nomadas
Development be able to proceed without the use of treated waste water? If not,
then the water reclamation project does have a direct growth inducing impact.
A more thorough examination of growth inducing impacts is needed.
The discussion of impacts and mitigation measures associated with the diversion
and use of water is inadequate and does not fully describe the impacts associated
with the project. The DEIR should be rewritten and provide thorough evaluations
of all impacts and potential impacts associated with the project. Once all
concerns have been satisfactorily addressed, the DEIR should be recirculated for
public review.
This DEIR is not sufficient for the State Water Board to utilize in the waste
water change petition process. There is a significant amount of information that
is not available at this time. There are misrepresentations of the State Water
Board's water right process. The State Water Board is required to consider a
variety of issues prior tc rendering a decision. in consideration of water use,
the State Water Board must consider the protection of the public trust resources
and the environmental effects of the proposed action. We will also consider the
protests filed on environmental considerations.
The State Water Board staff appreciates the opportunity to comment on this DEIR.
Our concerns are to insure that the information is eventually combined with
additional supporting documentation which will be adequate for use in the waste
DRAFT URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN (UWMP)
Recommendations by the EQTF on the above UWMP for the City
Council to adopt and include in the appropriate sections of the UWMP
as a prerequisite to their approval of the UWMP.
As a general note, the UWMP is long on economic considerations and
short on ecological considerations. Incorporating the following
recommendation will offset some of this imbalance. In UWMP
sections where changes are recommended, the text is indented 3
spaces and new EQTF wording is underlined and old City wording is
crossed out.
Page viii, "2.8.2 Development and the Reliability Reserve":
To recognize ecological concerns, change this section title and section
to read:
2.8.2 Development and Habitat Management and the Reliability
Reserve
Any additional safe annual yield beyond that needed to balance
safe annual yield and present water demand will be allocated (A)
one-half to development and habitat management and (B) one-half
to the reliability reserve and compensating for reduced yields due
to siltation.
Page ix, "2.8.4", 'Basis for Policy Summary":
Below where it states "The City has identified the following potential
uses for the new supplies:", eliminate the 4 little black squares and
for the purpose of being able to easily refer to each use replace the
squares with numbers %." to "4." and to recognize ecological concerns
add the following use:
5. Providing for habitat management as, mitigating, maintaining,
restoring, enhancing. and creating habitat.
Page ix, "2.9.1 Supplying New Development":
Tying this section in to the above recommendations to recognize
ecological concerns change the first sentence to read:
The City will make available to new development only that amount
of safe yield which exceeds present water use (as stated in Section
2.3.4), less the amount to compensate for siltation losses (as stated
in Section 2.5), and to provide a reliability reserve (as stated in
Section 2.4). and to provide for a yet-to-he-determined amount
for mitigating_ maintaining_ restoring enhanri and crestino
haho tat.
Page x, "2.10.2 Uses of Reclaimed Water":
To recognize ecological concerns, change the first sentence to read:
The City will continue to discharge to San Luis Obispo Creek a flow
that has yet to he determ inedof
reclaimed water for aquatic and riparian habitats.
The EQTF strongly opposes any reference to "one cubic foot per
second" (cfs) as the stream flow study performed was set up to prove
that 1 cfs is adequate flow for the stream ecosystem rather than
being set up to determine how much flow is needed by the stream
ecosystem. In commenting on the stream flow study, which is in the
Draft EIR for the City's "Water Reclamation Project", Calif. Dept. of
Fish & Game, the State Water Resources Control Board, and others
complained about the study and its faulty methodology set up to
prove its biased premise for the 1 cfs. The EQTF hopes that new
studies being done as a result of these complaints are fair, but cannot
rely on this based on the first study. For this reason, and because the
City Council recenty changed their Water Reclamation Policy
governing the Water Reclamation Project, which could now have
serious ecological consequences, in a separate document the EQTF will
ask the City Council to revisite the Water Reclamation Policy. The
EQTF fully supports the City Council's clear intent in their original
Water Reclamation Policy to protect the Creek. However to date the
Draft EIR and its initial stream flow study undermine this intent.
Also, the City Council's economic decision to allow new water users to
now have first priority use (when before new water users had
second priority use only after first priority Creek and existing water
users needs were met), further undermines the original intent of the
policy. Elevating new water users to first priority use increases
pressure for the City Council to make a political decision (instead of a
biological one) by opting for the inadequate 1 cfs flows. In this
separate document the EQTF will recommend specific language
3
change to the Water Reclamation Policy supporting and
strengthening its original ecological intent.
Page xi, "2.10.6", "Basis for Policy Summary":
To recognize ecological concerns change the first sentence of the first
paragraph to read:
Reclaimed water is highly treated wastewater (sewage) which can
be used for many nonpotable uses such as landscape irrigation,
industrial processes, and toilet flushing in certain types of
buildings and hahitat management as_ mitigation_ maintenance_
restoration_ enhancement and creation of habitat.
Page xii, "3.1 SALINAS RESERVOIR EXPANSION PROJECT":
Regarding this section and project the EQTF is supplying City staff
and the City Council with another document titled "DRAFT
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT FOR THE PROPOSED SALINAS
RESERVOIR EXPANSION PROJECT" and the EQTF recommends that all
of the mitigation recommendations in that document be incorporated
in this section (3.1) of the UWMP before the UWMP is approved by
the City.
Page xiii, "3.3 WATER REUSE":
To recognize ecological concerns, chancre the last sentence of the first
paragrap
Of the 4,000 acre-feet, the City proposes to dedicate 20 iter- `--`
peryew- a vet to be determined amount of reclaimed water to San
Luis Obispo Creek to maintain and enhance the in-stream habitat.
First it is obvious to the EQTF that the Creek cannot be maintained
and enhanced by reducing the reclamation flows to it from 4,000 .
acre-feet per year (afy) to 720 afy--an 82 % reduction in flows!
And second the EQTF strongly opposes any reference to 720 acre-
feet per year" since it corresponds to the inadequate 1 cfs used in
section 2.10.2. To understand our opposition to the 720 acre-feet"
see our recommendations and comments for section 2.10.2.
-1
Also the first two sentences of the second paragraph state "Since
most of the recycled water will be used for irrigation, it is estimated
that only 1,830 of the remaining 3,280 acre-feet will actually be
useable. This is because demand for irrigation water is very limited
during the winter while discharge from the WRF is fairly constant."
This gives the impression the Creek gets the lion's share of the
reclamation flows, which it does during the rainy season when higher
natural flows reduce the Creek's need for reclamation water flows.
But during the critical low-flow summer season when there is often
no natural flows in the Creek, irrigation users would actually be
proposing to divert about 82 % of the reclamation water flows from
the Creek. In other words, of the fairly steady approximate 5.5 cfs
reclamation flows, irrigation would divert about 4.5 cfs leaving the
Creek with just the I cfs! However, because the City Council has
unfortunately changed the Water Reclamation Policy to allow new
water users high priority use, this "irrigation users" discussion is
academic. Now, there will be high demand year-round by developers
for this very limited supply (about 5.5 cfs) of reclaimed water. So,
instead of the Creek getting 2,170 afy this section implies (720 afy
plus the irrigators' unused balance of 1,450 afy [3,280 afy minus
1,830 afy[), it will get the inadequate 720 afy. The entire second
paragraph of section "3.3" needs to be eliminated as it no longer
makes sense in light of the City Council's changing of the Water
Reclamation Policy.
Page xiv, "4.0 WATER OPERATIONAL PROGRAMS":
Below where it states "The City shall provide an adequate supply of
high quality water which", eliminate the four little black squares and
for the purpose of being able to easily refer to each provision replace
the squares with numbers "1." to "4." and to recognize ecological
concerns add the following provision:
5orovides water for habitat management as, mitigating,
maintaining, restoring, enhancing, and creating habitat.
The remaining recommendations relate to the WATER POLICY
SUMMARY (pages I-1 to I-4):
Page I-2, "2.6* SUPPLEMENTAL WATER REQUIREMENTS":
Change the second sentence to read:
The amount of water to be developed shall be based on land use
assessment and the adopted per capita water use figure in Section
2.3.2 and a yet undetermin d amnnnt of water to meet the future
needs for habitat management as mitigatinb maintaining_
restoring_ enhancing_ and creating habitat.
Page I-2, section "2.8.2*":
Change the section to read:
Any additional safe yield beyond the deficit elimination will be
allocated one-half to new development and habitat management
and one-half to the reliability reserve (Section 2.4) and to
compensate for siltation (Section 2.5).
Page I-2, section "2.9.1*":
Change the section to read:
The City will make available to new development only that amount
of safe yield which exceeds present water use (as stated in Section
2.3.4), the amount to compensate for siltation (Section 2.5) and to
provide a reliability reserve (Section 2.5). and to provide for a yet-
to-be-determined amount for habitat management as. mitigatin,
maintaining, restoring, enhancing, and creating habitat.
Page 1-3, section "2.10.2":
Change this section to read:
The City will dedicate a reclaimed water
discharge that has yet to be determined to San Luis Obispo Creek
and make available reclaimed water for existing and new
nonpotable uses.
Page I-4, "Chapter 4* Water Operational Programs":
Change the first sentence to read:
The City shall provide an adequate supply of high quality water
which meets all government standards, at sufficient pressures,
provide for fire protection, and sustain water efficiency programs,
6
and provides water for habitat management as, mitigating.
maintaining_ restoring. enhancing and creating habitat.
DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT FOR THE
PROPOSED SALINAS RESERVOIR EXPANSION PROJECT
Recommendations by the EQTF on the above Draft EIR (DEIR) for the
City Council to adopt and include in the City's URBAN WATER
MANAGEMENT PLAN (UWMP) and the DEIR as a prerequisite to their
approval of the UWMP and their certification of the EIR.
A. Recommendations regarding the inundation and loss of about
4000 oaks and 930 grey pines on about 310 acres of habitat (about
400 acres of total inundation minus 77.3 acres of riparian habitat
and 13.2 acres of marsh).
1. Mitigation for oaks:
Coast Live Oak (CLO), Blue Oak (BO), and Valley Oak (VO) occur on
the site. Losses of VO are serious, as the tree is not regenerating to
any significant extent in the Coast Ranges, and therefore the
cumulative effect of any loss is very significant. Mitigation would
have to be on a low-slope, thick soil bottomland, such as may be
found at Santa Margarita Ranch. There is not very much of this land
available around the dam, and the possible restoration sites are
occupied by trees. Thus offsite purchase of an equivalent acreage
should be considered as mitigation.
BO and CLO are more adaptable, but BO is not regenerating well in
the western part of SLO County, and therefore some additional
upland should be protected. CLO is probably at the edge of its habitat
and may be difficult to restore, although it is doing relatively well in
lightly grazed or ungrazed lands closer to the coast.
The City should consider managing grazing to encourage the
survival of oaks. Grazing need not be eliminated, but fairly intensive
management such as so-called `Holistic' methods may be of
advantage.
The City should not consider existing open grassland or chaparral
as potentially wooded land that can be `restored' by planting oaks.
The chances are that there are no trees there because they will not
grow at that location. The City should restore a site where loss of
oaks through cutting or grazing pressure can be documented, and
2
then manage that site for the oak and for a plant community under
the oaks similar to that which will be inundated. If such lands can be
found near the lake, they should be purchased as part of the
mitigation.
If the City decides on a restoration site, the trees should be
monitored until they are saplings above brouse height, or 7-8 ft tall,
before the City accepts the tree as a mitigation against loss. To help
compensate for the replacement of mature habitat trees with small,
slow growing trees, EQTF plant specialists recommend a 5: 1 ratio of
successful saplings to lost trees as mitigation, and a policy that
replaces seedlings until such time as the ratio is reached. The City
should not accept any ratio of seedlings or plantings to lost trees
without this monitoring and maintenance, as there is no guarantee of
survival.
2. Mitigation for grey pine and other species associated with the
oak:
Grey pine seed should be collected and applied to a mitigation
area. This should be done by people familiar with restoring conifers,
and planting of seed, and seedlings if necessary, should continue
until a 1:1 ratio of new recruits (at 6ft high) to lost trees is reached.
B. Recommendations regarding the upstream inundation and loss of
about 13.2 acres of freshwater marsh and about 77.5 acres of
riparian habitat.
Whereas the EQTF believes that project inundation will eventually
destroy all of the 90.7 acres of marsh and riparian wetland habitat
upstream on the Salinas River, and that the monitoring program
described in the DEIR to determine the eventuality of this impact
would be a costly public burden, the EQTF therefore recommends
that the City incorporate a mitigation plan in the EIR prior to
certification to create an equivalent 13.2 acres of marsh and 77.5
acres of riparian habitat upstream out of the inundation zone.
C. Recommendations regarding the downstream degradation of an
undetermined amount of riparian habitat on the Salinas River due to
project diversion dewatering.
3
1. Whereas the EQTF believes the historical average annual flow
reductions of 7,665 acre feet per year, AFY, (Table 3.4-14, page 3-84.
estimated average historic Salinas Reservoir inflow minus average
historic Salinas Reservoir releases) to the Salinas River for the past
50 years (1944-1994) has been an unfortunate long-term adverse
impact to the downstream riparian ecosystem, and
2. Whereas the live-stream agreement with Calif. Dept. of Fish &
Game (CDFG) releasing an average of about 2,370 AFY annually (for
example, equivalent to 10 cubic ft. per second for about 4 months)
since 1972 has been inadequate historical mitigation, and
3. Whereas diversion proposed by this project of another 1,383
AFY from the downstream riparian ecosystem would further
aggravate this adverse impact-mitigation imbalance, and
4. Whereas the City proposes no project mitigation for this DEIR
admitted cumulatively significant impact, and
5. Whereas the DEIR further greatly underestimates this admitted
adverse impact by stating the flows to the Salinas River will only be
reduced 0.9 % by the project when Table 3.4-14, page 3-84, shows
the project caused flow reductions to the riparian ecosystem below
the Dam will instead be 11.9 % (1,383 AFY proposed project
reduction divided by 11,651 AFY historical Dam releases), and
6. Whereas Salinas Reservoir has historically been operated at a
much higher diversion-to-storage efficiency, 19.9 % (4,739 AFY
historical City diversion divided by 23,843 AFY historical storage
capacity), than the diversion-to-storage efficiency of the proposed
project, 9.2 % (1,650 AFY new diversion divided by 17,950 AFY new
storage capacity), and
7. Whereas even by adding the project proposed downstream
reduction in releases to the proposed new diversion, the proposed
project would still be operating at an efficiency below the historical
efficiency, 16.9 % ([1,383 AFY downstream releases + 1,650 AFY new
diversion] divided by 17,950 AFY new storage capacity) versus
19.9% (see 6.);
8. The EQTF therefore recommends that the City incorporate a
mitigation plan in the EIR prior to certification requiring that the
project meet both goals of continuing to release downstream the
4
project proposed reduction of 1,383 AFY on average -aad the
proposed new City diversion of 1,650 AFY, and if the project cannot
meet both goals in any given year, the reduction in flows will be to
the City's 1,650 AFY and not the 1,383 AFY of downstream releases.
and
9. If the City opts to deviate from the above feasible mitigation by
reducing the downstream flows below the 1,383 AFY historic average
before reducing all of the City's new diversion of 1,650 AFY, then the
EQTF recommends that the City incorporate a mitigation plan in the
EIR prior to certification requiring that 2 tracts of riparian habitat
between 1/4 and 1/2 mile long, one in the broader Salinas River in
the flood plain near Atascadero. and one in the narrower Salinas
River in the Salinas River Canyon below the Dam, be surveyed prior
to the project going on line to acquire baseline data determining the
quantitative and qualitative condition of the riparian habitat, and
then these tracts be monitored indefinitely to determine if the
project causes water diversion degradation of this riparian habitat,
and if degradation occurs, mitigation releases will be required from
the Dam to restore and maintain the riparian habitat at its pre-
project condition.